To Be His Queen
by KaiaLuna
Summary: A mothers healing, a European vacation, stupidly saving one vampire from another and a castle hiding a long forgotten dream of an angel fighting demons and the promise they'd be together again in Italy, where she would be his queen and they would live forever together in his castle.
1. Chapter 1

**A story I wrote off and on over the winter holidays and then forgot all about. Hope you like it. As always, everything recognizable belongs to Stephanie Meyer.**

The hand on my forehead was soothing running back over my head before coming back to my forehead and repeating the gentle soothing motion. I could hear my mother murmuring gently, "I'm so sorry baby. I know it hurts."

"Did you ever feel this?"

"When I left your father."

"You abandoned him, you were just like _him_. Promising forever and then leaving him alone. Taking me like _he _took the rest of them."

"I loved your father enough to leave him Bella."

"That doesn't make sense." I wanted to sound angry, to be angry and deep down I was but mostly I was just numb with the hurt.

"Staying here, I was drowning baby, things were getting bad between Charlie and I, they would only have gotten worse and I was afraid in the end we'd hate each other. It was best for both of us, all three of us, that I left. I loved him very much Bella but sometimes, we just aren't meant to be with the people we love. It's a hard thing to accept. I almost came back, a few times but I couldn't do that to Charlie. I had to be strong for all of us and Charlie, he loved me enough, loved us enough, to let us go."

"It hurts."

"I know baby. I know. You just want to curl up and stop living, like if you are still enough, you can pause life become numb to the pain or just _will_ back what you had."

"Can you? Maybe you just didn't try hard enough."

"We tried baby. Things were going that way before we had you, then we tried harder because we had you but sometimes the harder you try the worse things get. Like holding a bird."

"Holding a bird?"

"If you hold to lose it flies away, to tight and you crush it."

"So its better to let it go then crush it?"

"Yes because when it's the right love, neither will happen."

"You mean Phil."

"I do. Loving him doesn't mean I didn't or don't love your father."

"You still love him?"

"I don't think we ever stop loving someone once we've loved them, not if the love was real. It just changes. Charlie is the father of my baby girl. He gave me you and nothing could ever make me love him more than that. He was my first love and I care about him deeply. I want him to be happy and I know, deep down, I couldn't do that. We can't make someone else happy when we aren't happy baby."

"It hurts so much."

"I know." She went back to rhythmically stroking my head. I remembered her doing it when I was sick as a young child and took comfort in it. "Your father thinks it might be better for you to come home."

"He wants me to leave?"

"He wants you to be happy again, to heal. Your father loves you so much, more than you can understand, at least until you're a mother. He doesn't know how to help you and it scares him. I don't know either except to be here for you and to tell you that the jagged hole inside of you might not close completely but it will get smaller and the edges less jagged, so you will look back on your first love with a bittersweet ache and sadness of what wasn't meant to be."

"I don't want to go."

"Do you not want to leave here because this is where you're happy, where you think you will find the life you want or because you're holding onto him?" I wasn't sure what to say. "He wouldn't want this Bella. If he loved you even partly as much as you loved him, he'd want you to be happy. Love him the way Charlie loves me, the way he is willing to love you though it hurts him to no end."

"How?"

"Love Edward enough to let him go." She whispered as I felt her tear hit my cheek. "I know it hurts baby and it will hurt for a long time, no one can make that better for you but you have to feel the pain to move through it."

"How is running away feeling the pain?"

"It's not running away Bella. It's healing, moving forward, letting go. If you can and want to do that here, your father and I will support that. I want you to come home, I miss you so much baby but your father and I both just want for you to be ok. So you decide and if it's to stay or come with me, we'll both be there for you."

I sighed, my heart aching as the words whispered past my lips without conscious consent, "I'll come."

"Ok." Renee leaned down and kissed my temple. "I'll pack up your things. Is there anyone you want to say goodbye to?"

"Billy and Jacob, Angela." I wouldn't leave the few friends I had made here without a goodbye, not like _they_ had left me.

"I'll have you packed up while you say goodbye. Our flight is first thing in the morning."

I sniffled and sat up to hug my mother. She gave me a sad smile and kissed my temple again before standing up. "Is there anything you want to pack yourself? Anything you don't want your mom going through?" She chuckled.

I rolled my eyes at her, shaking my head, feeling a smile tug at me through the pain as I looked at my mother, erratic and forgetful, sometime irresponsible but no mother could love her daughter more. "You know everything about me."

She sent me a smile and nodded to the hall before disappearing into my closet.

In the bathroom I gave a grimace at my reflection and wondered when the last time I'd showered was, I wondered what day it even was.

I scrubbed clean and dressed in the jeans and layered shirts my mother had put on the toilet seat for me. Stepping into my chucks I called to her.

"Be back soon."

"Ok baby. Take your time."

It hurt to move, to breath but I made my way to Angela's house. Jessica was over and I was almost glad, she'd been a pretty good friend to me. They both hugged me and made me promise to keep in touch both seemed to want me to stay for a bit but I couldn't, I was tired and the hole made it hard to breath.

On my way to the reservation I saw Sam Uley come out of the store and slammed on my breaks, shocked at myself, I made the turn carefully and pulled to a gentle stop in front of him.

"Bella." He nodded to me.

"I…" I licked my lips, "Thank you."

He was frowning at me but at my words the expression softened a little and he nodded.

"I'm leaving, with my mom."

"I hope you'll be ok."

"Thanks." I nodded at him and we stood in uncomfortable silence for a moment. Shifting from one foot to another I shrugged at him, "Ok, well, bye."

"Goodbye Bella."

I nodded and shifted again before finally turning to leave. I wasn't sure what else it was I wanted to say to him but it felt unfinished some how. I sighed and shrugged off the feeling, getting back in my truck and continuing on to Billy's house. He and Jacob both wished me well and Billy gave me a knowing look and said it was for the best.

By the time I got back home I was exhausted and though I had not eaten again that day I trudged up to my room, curled up on my bed and slept.

I didn't remember the flight or my first impressions of Jacksonville or the house. Days passed blurring together and became weeks. I had started at a new school but kept to myself. At home I studied hard and went with my mother to Phil's games. She got me a beautiful leather bound book with blank pages and I used it as a journal slash sketchbook taking it everywhere with me. Christmas and New Years passed with little to note them, not that Phil and Renee didn't try with the little tree and some Champaign, which I wasn't sure I liked. The weather went from cool to warm to hot and like she'd predicted, the edges on that painfully jagged hole inside of me began to dull. The hole didn't get smaller and I felt like I had to physically hold myself together at times but in time maybe it would be better, not healed but more bearable. I'd just have to trust her on this one.

Charlie flew out for graduation and both my parents had tears in their eyes when I walked over to them holding my diploma having graduated with honors, the second highest marks in the large school. We took photos and went for a celebration dinner. The three of them seemed excited and nervous and happy and I couldn't help but be suspicious.

"I sold your truck." Charlie began.

I frowned at him, "My truck? Why?"

"You weren't using it and well…" He shifted and looked at my mom.

"The three of us thought that you needed, that you deserved something special, something just for you." Renee helped him out.

"What?"

Renee grinned at me and nudged Phil, "Happy graduation Bella." He smiled and pulled an envelope from his coat pocket.

Still frowning I looked from one to the other of them and then opened the envelope. I gasped and looked back up at them.

"You start in London." Renee laughed.

"You'll be there about a week and then the real trip starts."

"Real trip?" I frowned at Phil overwhelmed at the ticket to London in my hand.

"You go all over, nine countries and three months. That's the rough plan anyways. We've rented you a car so you can drive all over and spend more or less time in the places you want."

"Nine… three…" I gasped looking down at my hand again and back to them. "It's to much."

"I might have been bad about paying the bills on time baby but we always had the money to pay them and its not just from the three of us, its from your grandparents as well."

"What?"

"Both your mothers and my parents left you money Bella. You were their only grandchild and it's been in savings accounts growing for you. Some was taken out to go into a college fund but your mother and I set aside what was left to us separately for you as well. We didn't want the divorce to get messy so we split what we had and I sent child support for you but the money from our families we agreed to just keep for your future. "

"We talked about giving it to your college fund but agreed that you had enough in there that this was just as important."

"Three months? In Europe?"

"Just promise us you'll be very careful." Charlie turned serious. "You watched that Taken movie? Those kinds of things happen Bella and there are thieves and muggers and any sort of person looking to take advantage of a young girl travelling alone."

"I'll be careful. I promise." I nodded, still in a state of shock.

"Good then." Phil beamed, "To Bella's graduation and European summer." We all clicked glasses though the rest of the meal was a blur.

Charlie left the next day with more warnings and admonitions to be careful. I hugged him extra tight. "I love you dad." I whispered to him.

"Love you to kid." He squeezed back, blushing when he stepped away.

The scene repeated with my mother only five days later as she and Phil saw me off. This time instead of warnings to be careful I got tips on where to shop and things to send back and made promises to call and before she let me go she whispered into my ear. "Don't be afraid to fall in love again baby. With a place or a person or anything. Fall in love baby and live. It's the only thing that will help."

I nodded biting back tears as I hugged her, "I love you so much mom."

"I love you to baby. More than anything. Be happy and if you find where you're meant to be or what or who you just seize that and remember, me and your dad will always be here for you and always love you."

I hugged her tighter a moment and when I let go there were tears in both our eyes. We laughed and quickly hugged again before I turned through security.


	2. Chapter 2

I fell in love with London, not the busy tourist part but the quiet part, the small bookshops and cafes. I saw a show Phil got me tickets for, Phantom of the Opera and it was the most amazing thing I'd seen until I saw Shakespeare at the Globe and then it was a tie but one thing was undeniable, I loved the theater, it was magic. I went to Bath and toured the house Jane Austen lived, even had tea in the upstairs café and then took a train to Edinburgh and I fell in love with the city and its castle in the middle. I went on a pub-crawl and didn't love the morning after but I'd danced and laughed and not felt any cares.

Paris made me fall in love again as I toured the art galleries and walked along the Seine, people watching in café's. Brussels was beautiful and Amsterdam was interesting but the only part I liked was the Van Goh museum and I moved on quicker than planned from both places. Berlin, Prague and Vienna went by to quickly though I added on a day or two in each place before I was on to Switzerland. I still had six weeks of travel, three in Italy, two in Greece and then a week to make my way back to London where I was expected for three days before returning home September first.

I never made it past Italy.

As I travelled from Milan to Verona to Florence, I stared at the map and saw a name that twisted my heart with memories. Volterra. I had been calling my mother every couple days to tell her where I was and what my next destination would be as I drove my way through Europe along the rough plan they had made for me. I had been debating between Siena and Pisa as I made my way to Rome and there on the map between the two was Volterra. I knew I shouldn't go there and resolved to forget vampires existed. Edward was my first love and he'd left me, that was all. I decided on Siena, I'd stop through Pisa on the way back. With that decided I called my mom and left her a message before setting off.

When I reached the sign for Colle di Val D'elsa where I would turn away from Volterra to Siena I found myself turning away from the path my mind screamed I should take.

Volterra was a beautiful Tuscan village and I spent the afternoon wandering around before finding a place to stay. Just the night I promised myself. I'd seen it and in the morning I'd be on my way, leaving behind me all things supernatural, for good.

I couldn't sleep and after staring up at the moon a long time I left and went for a walk. The streets were quiet, the night still and in it I found a peace that I hadn't felt in a very long time.

True to my self-promise I left once the dawn had lightened the sky and drove to Siena. It was beautiful but I didn't stay long, just the day and I found a place to sleep early. In the morning I went on to Rome where I planned to spend a few days wandering.

It was in this ancient city my path crossed with a vampire, a beautiful woman with bright red eyes acting as a cloaked tour guide.

"Hello." She smiled at me, "Care to join?"

I shook my head, "No thank you."

"We're going to see a hidden little town in Tuscany, where only a select few visitors get to tour the ancient castle!" A woman with a heavy Australian accent grinned at me.

I smiled at her and nodded, "I hope you enjoy it." I knew what would happen when she went and part of me wanted to stop it but vampires had as much right to eat as I did, just because they ate my species didn't mean I had any more right than a cow or chicken to be upset about it. This was life, life and love and death, all of it painful and unfair. I sent the beautiful vampire a small smile and nod. "Thank you for the opportunity but I just came from that area and am going South."

She nodded to me with a smile but it was almost as though she were trying to read me, "Enjoy Roma."

"Grazie. Happy tourist hunting."

That secret smile returned and I knew it was one we were sharing even as her sharp mind continued to try to uncover my secrets.

I turned away and walked to the restaurant where I'd planned to have my late lunch. It was a slow thing here. Everything was slower and I sipped wine, it had taken me weeks to appreciate the taste though I found it better than the bitter beers I'd tried in the UK and Germany.

After my meal I walked around Rome a little longer, I wouldn't have been to surprised to see the vampire again, not if she'd decided I really knew what I knew or that I'd make a good meal, I was surprised that when I saw her again it was to see her being attacked.

"Let her go." I hissed. The vampire spun to me with a dark look and my heart pounded in my ears. He took a step towards me. "She's Volturi. They'll slaughter you." His steps hesitated but I'd given her enough distraction and with a violent cry she was on his back and ripped off his head.

"Lighter?" She asked me piling him into a large garbage bin.

"Here." I handed her the zippo I'd bought, the one I carried with me always, on it was a design I'd drawn, a Phoenix rising out of flames on one side and a lotus resting on water on the other.

She examined the pictures while we walked away from the sickly sweet purple smoke.

"You know I can't let you go now that I know you really know."

"I figured."

"It was stupid to get involved."

"I know."

"He was very young, stronger than me." I nodded and after a second she quietly added, "Thank you."

"New born?"

"I'd say towards the end of his year, still the strength and speed but a little more clarity of thought."

"Why'd he go after you?"

"I got his preferred meal."

"Where is your group?"

"We leave in… "She looked down, "Ten minutes ago. You aren't going to struggle? It would be inconvenient to knock you out and put you in a duffle to pretend you're luggage and I'd rather let Aro pass judgment than kill you myself."

"I'll come along." I assured her following her through the streets.

On the bus I sat next to her and stared out the window at the coming night.

"Heidi." She broke the silence.

"Bella." I responded without turning.

"It's rare in the summer to be cloudy." I just nodded at her attempt at small talk and she sighed. "Why did you speak up?"

"I don't know." I shrugged.

"We'll be there in a couple hours."

I nodded, "Will they kill me?" I whispered.

"I hope not."

"Why?"

"You saved me and you fascinate me."

"Why?"

"You aren't afraid."

"No." I agreed. "I suppose I should be but I'm not."

"My gift has no effect on you." She added quietly.

I just nodded; hers wasn't the first gift I'd encountered and not the first that hadn't affected me.

We didn't speak again as the bus brought us to Volterra a little after the sunset.

"Welcome!" She stood smiling at the collection of tourists. "It is late so as a special treat, you are being granted permission to visit the throne room before the night really begins."

I bit back a smile at the happy self-absorbed tittering going on behind me and saw Heidi wink at me as she led us inside.

"Wait for me here." She whispered nodding to seats in a darkened reception room. I nodded and moved to a chair as she led the 'tour' in. I pretended not to hear the screams and as I waited I felt the same peace steal over me that I had felt wandering around two nights before. I knew I was likely going to die and I was afraid it would be painful but I couldn't bring myself to be really afraid or freaked out. I knew I didn't _want_ to die. This had been the trip of a lifetime and I didn't want it to end but a calm filled me at my presence here as though Jasper were in the other room pumping out peace.

Heidi returned and with her was a very large vampire with bright red eyes. He nodded at me his eyes boring into mine, "My mate Felix." She smiled at me.

"Thank you." He nodded his eyes not leaving mine.

I shrugged, "Shall we meet my reaper then?"

Felix laughed sending me a wide grin, "I hope not human."

"If it is… I would repay the favor of my life with something for your family."

I didn't even need to think about it, "Fake my death, so they aren't left wondering." Heidi nodded and I took a breath to steady my growing nerves.

Together we walked to the throne room.


	3. Chapter 3

Heidi and Felix bowed at the dais where three men sat on thrones; I mimicked the move and heard clapping.

"Brilliant." He laughed and I looked up to meet his eyes. "I'm Aro. Welcome Bella."

"Thank you." I smiled at him but my eyes were drawn to another figure. He had white blonde hair that just barely reached his shoulders, a square chin, sharp jaw with perfect cheekbones and a straight nose His blood red eyes held mine with an intensity that seemed to look into my very soul. I missed the rest of what Aro said until Heidi touched my elbow and brought my attention back to him. "Sorry?"

Aro smiled at me and moved off the dais, holding out his hand. I let him take mine and he seemed to bow over it a moment before stepping back and looking at me with a mix of confusion, frustration and awe.

I blushed and let my eyes move away from him again. My attention captured again by the other man. His skin was so pale while it matched the white blonde of his hair, making his eyes, those crimson orbs, impossible not to focus on, to be lost in. Beyond his beauty though, there was something, so recognition of those eyes, of that unsmiling face, the pale skin and hair that ought to nearly glow in full light of the moon, like an angel, a warrior angel.

I licked my lips, "I know you." I frowned at him, "Did I dream you?" It was a half remembered dream, like a name on the tip of my tongue I couldn't quite recall, I knew I remembered him, almost remembered that dream.

He didn't answer though his eyes didn't leave mine and I felt a tug in my heart as he held out a hand and I moved towards him, pulling my hand from Aro without thought and without noticing the rest of the room. Slowly and without losing eye contact I walked up the dais to him. He stood as I approached. He was tall, taller than me so that I had to look up into his eyes,

I frowned at him, stopping just a few feet away, and letting out a breath that relaxed my whole body, all fear and anxiety gone. I smiled at him and heard a gasp. I turned frowning at the woman and taking a step closer to him.

"My brothers wife. Athenodora." Aro explained, an amused smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Wife?" The word came out on a painful breath and even as I turned to look at him I felt my body dropping and found myself on my knees.

I was in his arms the same instant my knees had hit the ground and I dropped my head into the crook of his neck as I felt the wind around us. When he set me down it was in a dark office that smelled of parchment and the night. I saw large doors opening to a patio but he'd sat me on a desk.

"A companion." He met my eyes.

I tilted my head as I examined him, "_Did_ I dream you?"

He shook his head, "I am Caius."

"Bella."

"I know. I would know your scent in any place."

"We've met before?"

"You were very young."

I frowned and nodded. "It was… _what_ was that? A nightmare? A dream? Reality?" I shook my head against half remembered dreams blurring at the back of my mind.

"That was a werewolf nest and I was tracking it with our Guard. He was very old and powerful and I would have died in that desert."

"You glowed. Is that your gift?"

"I haven't one." He shook his head. "It was yours."

"Mine?"

"You had such great power even as a child, I can only imagine what you will be when you are turned."

"When?"

Caius nodded, "You will be a vampire."

"How did I… how could I…"

"You are my mate, you protected me because even so young your soul knew mine and your gift reached out to me. I have been waiting to meet you again."

I felt my heart stutter, "Were you going to come for me?"

Caius smiled at me and moved to a shelf where he pulled out a locket, inside was a photo of me only five years old. "When I came to this life, I was twenty three, very much a man in those days. I would give your life its rightful course until that day. On the other side of the photo was a date, not my twenty-third birthday but a few months before.

"Why May third?"

"It is the day I first saw you, the day I would come for you though I had you watched over the years." At my frown he tilted my chin so our eyes met, "Nothing intrusive, I just had them look in on you every year or so, to check that you were ok."

"If I wasn't?"

Caius's jaw clenched, "The world would share my pain."

I ran my fingers over his jaw and felt him relax, "I thought it was a dream, to many scary movies, an angel battling the night demon."

Caius shook his head, "If not by memory of me, how did you come to know of our kind? Why come here if not to search me out?"

"Did I know what you were? Did I forget?"

"No. I never told you. I carried you to your bed and watched over you until your mother returned. Once you asked if I was an Angel, I told you I was…"

"Mine." I sighed remembering the dream, "You said you were more like a demon but whatever you were it was mine and we'd be together in..."

"Italy." He finished, "You would be a queen and we would live forever in my castle."

"You found me when I was five." I sighed pushing away from him. "You left me for thirteen, almost fourteen years while you… you… played house!" I couldn't get the image of the beautiful woman from my mind.

"Dora and I have been companions for centuries Bella."

"So what am I? The thing you were waiting to be stuck with? Hoping something would keep you from having to deal with me? Or were you just never going to come back!"

"I have waited millennia for you, a few years was little to give and hell at the same time. Never has a decade passed so slowly!"

"I'm sure _Dora_ was of _great_ **comfort**."

"Bella." My heart felt like it was shattering and my mind was spinning to fast. I didn't register I was crying until the tears dripped off my cheek onto my hand. "Bella, please." His voice was gentle as he moved to comfort me.

"I want to be alone."

"Bella."

"Please. Let Aro pass his judgment and then just leave me alone. Either I'll be dead and you'll be rid of me or you do still have few years of _freedom_ before this." I held out the locket to him and slowly his hand extended so I dropped it in his palm.

"You are mine Bella. My brother will not touch you."

"Fine." I nodded and wiped the tears, "Then let me leave."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Bella please. You know our secret."

"I've kept it, unknowingly, most of my life and knowingly the last year. I won't talk about it, even if I did, who would believe me? I'd be locked up."

"Let me try to explain?"

"Explain what?" Whatever his response it was interrupted by a soft knock and then Athenodora's entrance.

"Caius?"

I swallowed and sniffed turning back to him, "Explain it to her, I'd like to leave."

"It's not safe."

"No less than it has been for the last thirteen years."

"Bella."

"Kill me or let me leave."

"No." He growled.

"What are you going to do? Lock me in the dungeon? Keep me prisoner until one of your guards sneaks in for a midnight snack and samples the human?"

"No one would dare touch you. No one would dare enter my tower and if you wish to sleep, you may do so there. We can talk when you have rested."

"I'd rather rest at a hotel."

"You aren't leaving here until we finish this conversation."

"And then?"

"I am hoping you will not wish to leave."

"If I do?"

"I will never do anything to hurt you Bella. If it is your wish to live a few years longer I will do my best to wait, though until I know how and why you know of our existence and am convinced of your safety or you are one of us, you will have a guard."

"Then say whatever it is you think I need to hear so I can leave."

"Bella."

"Right, Atheno_dora_ is here for you." I jumped off the desk and made my way to the door.

"Bella." He growled.

"Bite me."

"With pleasure." He was in front of me in less than a heartbeat, glaring angrily.

I shivered and stepped backwards.

Caius looked like I'd hit him.

"I will not change you before you're ready."

I just stood there and stared back at him. Caius stepped out of the way and motioned to the door. "Take a left and walk to the end of the corridor, go right, up all the stairs and the second door on the right."

"Is that the throne room?"

"My tower."

"Where is the throne room?"

"Right out the door and the first left."

"Fine." I moved past him and took a right.

"Caius?" I heard her speak and a shiver went through me as I fought back tears.


	4. Chapter 4

I pushed open the door and was faced with a wall, to the right was an opening and I emerged in the throne room to the side of the dais.

"Ah Bella. Welcome back. I do hope you're feeling well." Aro smiled over at me, interrupting the vampire standing in front of the dais.

"I've come to confess."

"Confess dear?" He tilted his head, his smile curious even as he frowned.

"I know about vampires. I know a lot about vampires."

"Yes." He smiled "given that you risked yourself and saved the life of one of our guard declaring her Volturi to the young thing I did imagine you knew. This is Darius, the maker of that bad little new born."

I nodded at the vampire. "I'm sorry to interrupt but my judgment was postponed briefly." I turned back to Aro. "I'd really rather not reschedule my death so if you don't mind."

Aro chuckled, "So enthusiastic for the change."

"No." I shook my head, "I have no intention of becoming part of your little club, you can just put me in the ground and I don't know send a photo of my dead body in a shallow grave to my parents so they have closure. Heidi already promised me they'd have that."

The room was deadly silent. "You are Caius's mate." Marcus spoke up, his voice reminded me of thin paper, papyrus crackling with age and wisdom.

I pursed my lips together fighting back the tears threatening, "Is he above your laws?"

"Quite right." Aro nodded, "Our law is you must be killed or turned, having saved Heidi and with your gifts we'd hate to lose such an interesting possibility in any rate but even without all that, as the mate of my brother you will of course be turned, that is our judgment."

"I have no intention of being his or of joining the Volturi."

"Our decision is final." Marcus spoke again. "You will be changed."

"The when is entirely up to you of course, this is no doubt over whelming and in your unique case we are happy to find you a place with us for a few months until you are ready."

"So I'm a prisoner here?"

"Not at all. You are our guest."

"Right. You have a guest bedroom for the human by any chance or should Felix show me to the dungeon?"

"Insolent." Aro met my eyes though he seemed almost amused by the fact.

I snorted and bowed, "May I be excused."

Aro chuckled, "Sulpicia would you bring Bella to her rooms my dear?"

"Of course." A beautiful woman moved forward and he kissed her neck gently as she moved over and stopped in front of me. "Shall we?" She motioned to the opposite side of the dais I'd entered from.

I shrugged and nodded, following her out. She led me down the hall and up the stairs to a room. I knew before she opened it where we were. "I'd prefer the dungeon."

Sulpicia laughed and shook her head motioning me into the room. I sighed and went in. It wasn't as lavish as I expected but I could see the female touch in some of it, the pillows, the curtains gently moving in the night breeze, the photos and the fresh flowers. There was a sitting room with a large balcony that connected to the bedroom. It was smaller than the sitting room and two doors, one closed I imagined was the closet and one opened was the bathroom. The bed was made and looked inviting with a fluffy comforter and pillows all white, white gauzy drapes in the four corners of the poster bed added a feminine and pretty touch.

I touched one and it was soft, perfect lace. I pulled it and it ripped. I moved to another and another and ripped them all down when I came to the nightstand I picked up the vase of flowers and threw it against the headboard, glass, water and flowers littering the bed. I spun away from the mess and went outside. The night air was cool and I was glad it had been cool and cloudy in Rome that day because over my jean shorts and fitted tee I wore a long sleeve coat. It was lightweight but better than nothing, I pulled it tighter around my body as I curled on the lounger and hugged myself.

Sometime later, I felt warmth wrap around me and blinked open my eyes. "The sheets were clean and flowers fresh."

I looked away from Heidi and pulled the blanket tighter. "Thanks." I sniffled shifting to get more comfortable.

"The sun will be up soon."

I nodded, "I feel oddly peaceful here."

"Part of that is Caius."

"The other part?"

"Corin."

"Is she an empath?"

"No. Her gift makes others feel content; it can be like a drug though. No one uses it the way Chelsea and your mate do but we all feel traces of its effect."

"Caius?"

"The last decade has been hard for him but even before that… he lived a very long time waiting for you."

"I'm sure Athenodora kept him plenty occupied during the wait."

"I suppose she did."

I clenched my jaw turning from her to see the sun just lightening the sky, I watched as it grew lighter and lighter before finally breaking over the ridge of the horizon and slowly rising in beautiful colors. I didn't notice when Heidi left, nor did I notice anyone cleaning up the mess I'd made in the room but when I went inside the bed was freshly made, minus the pretty lace, and there were fresh flowers. For some reason this infuriated me and I smashed the vase on the headboard again.

"Do you have something against flowers? Or is it just my bed? I can get a different one for you."

I spun on him, "Don't bother I want nothing to do with you or your bed."

"Bella."

Caius spun and hissed at the woman; "Get out."

"I only came to help."

"Get out!" He growled making her step back and nod before turning tail and running."

"That was rude."

"I don't like people in my space."

"Then put me somewhere else."

"No."

I sighed, "Was that Corin?"

"Yes and I do not want her forcing you into contentment."

"So you prefer me miserable?"

"I prefer you happy."

"Then let me leave."

"No."

"Fine, second best, you leave."

Caius sighed and nodded before disappearing into the closed door and returning seconds later with fresh clothes in his hand and a nod to me before leaving. He'd left the door open.

I stared at it for a while before going inside. Her clothes weren't there, just neat rows of suits, slacks, dress shirts and robes. In the drawers were briefs, tee shirts and socks. Dress shoes and boots were set perfectly in line on shelves. What surprised me was on the back of the door, a black leather jacket and a shelf in the corner held a motorcycle helmet with boots under it. The material of the jacket was buttery soft; it smelled like crisp autumn apples, honey and something utterly and purely male. I could see my reflection in the helmet. To the other side of the door was a built in and opening it I found a drawer of watches, one of money and a safe. If the expensive watches and what looked like several thousand dollars cash were outside the safe, what was in it?

Moving back to the room I found myself joined again by Heidi and this time she'd brought Felix and one other guy. The living room was all but empty, the furniture all gone but for the outside lounger which had been moved inside and a small table with two chairs and a chessboard.

"What?" The vampires moved past me to the bedroom and I watched as pieces of furniture were quickly dismantled and removed from the suite before turning back to Heidi and asking again, "What?"

"I have magazines so you can pick what you like, Caius says if all you like is the damn chaise he wont have you freezing until we get new stuff delivered."

"What?"

Heidi smiled gently at me, "You don't like his furniture Bella."

"What's the point in changing it? Athenodora will only change it back in a few days when I leave."

"You can't leave Bella."

"So I'm a prisoner for eternity?"

"You will be changed and for the first year, yes, you must stay."

"After that?"

"Do you really think you could leave him?"

"Why not? He left me."

"You were a child."

"_Dora_ will be here for him."

"It's a long time to be alone."

"To have a mate and be married to another woman?"

"They were married a very long time ago."

"He could have left her when he found me." Heidi didn't say anything else, instead she handed me a magazine. "Athenodora can keep her things. I don't want anything." I moved to the patio and sat on the floor, my back to the wall.

A little while later her parting words were still running in my head, "They weren't her things."

If not for her why would he have a bed? Vampires don't sleep. There was only one reason to have it and the feminine touches, the curtains and flowers and pillows?

I got up and ghosted through the empty rooms. Food was brought and I considered not eating it but I was very hungry. Finally I decided to shower. It was heaven, three showerheads rained water over me. Climbing out I really didn't want to put my almost three day old clothes back on so I let myself back in his closet and pulled on one of the white dress shirts and a pair of his briefs.

I lay on the wood floor and let the sun and breeze dry my wet hair and still slightly damp legs.

I was woken from my afternoon doze by cursing, how I knew it was cursing I didn't know because the language was foreign but I sat up and turned to Caius with a questioning look.

"You look like a nymph." Aro smiled at me and Caius growled at him.

"My clothes are in my duffle, in my car, in Rome."

"We will get you new clothes."

"I don't want anything from you." I hissed at him.

"Demetri will find your car and retrieve your things." Aro smiled, his voice calming. "Sulpicia was hoping to help you choose furnishings more to your taste, she and Athenodora have long been curious about my brothers personal space, I admit some of the guard would imagine he had a very barren and dark space the way they voiced their surprise while removing the offending items today." He smiled looking around, his eyes alighting on the chaise. "I do believe Sulpicia bought him that. It's good you like it."

I was stuck on the Athenodora being curious about his personal space part and missed his amused expression until my eyes narrowed on the chaise and turned back to him, "It's comfortable."

"Was the rest of it not? I rather liked the chess table."

My eyes darted to the corner where the table had last been. "I wouldn't have noticed or cared either way."

"So it was the flowers and not the bed? I'll have it brought back."

"Was there issue with the couch or was whatever offended you in here to big to shatter over it?"

I glared at them both for making fun of me, "I don't care what you keep or don't keep in here."

"Bella." Caius sighed. I turned and sank back to the floor facing the patio door and he growled.

I heard Aro chuckling and a quiet, "Insolent girl." Like the first time he sounded more amused than angry and I wondered at that but continued to ignore them.

My next visitor was Heidi and Felix again with the stranger. They returned all the furniture the way it was and Heidi turned to me, "Please pick one or two things I can take away or bring."

I glared at her, "No."

"He'll take it out on us." The strange vampire huffed.

"Fine." I huffed and pointed randomly, "That and that can go." I caught sight of a vase, "And that."

"No flowers and no vases." Heidi nodded, "got it."

"All the curtains and the fucking pillows." I grabbed one and threw it at Felix who laughed and tossed it out the window.

"Problem solved." He winked. I laughed and threw two others out the window after it.

When we were finished the place was bare of anything I felt was feminine or decorative.

"I'll be back with your bag in a couple hours, anything specific you need?"

I shook my head, "You must be Demetri."

"Pleased to meet you." He gave a mock bow and a wink making me laugh.

"Just my duffle, I have… had everything else in my satchel." I frowned, "Where is my satchel?"

"You left it on the bus maybe." Heidi smiled at me, "I'll check for it."

"Thanks."

By nightfall I stood glaring at the bed, it was mocking me with its comfort and I was so tired.

"He never had me here." I startled at the voice and turned slowly, my heart beating to fast.

"Athenodora." I nodded at her.

She smiled gently at me and repeated herself; "He never had me here." I turned and glared at the bed again; vampires didn't sleep; mate, wife and mistress? "He ordered things over the years, a bed and then a different one and then this one. Five different couches, a desk, shelves, dolls, books, he brought things in and then discarded them. Had it painted and repainted. Most of it the last three years, I would ask him and he'd say, 'She's fifteen, Jane's fifteen and she's ok' or 'she's sixteen now, sixteen was very much an adult, girls were married with kids in my day' then it was seventeen, and 'don't they graduate school about now? She'll be starting her grown up life, she could start it as a vampire.' Always he hesitated, redecorated and spent hours in Corin's company, one would feel bad for her the way his moods almost over powered even her gift." I nodded. "I've been hearing about you for a long time."

"You've been with him a long time."

"Centuries." She confirmed.

"In I waltz and take him away."

"We're companions Bella, lovers but not mates, not partners. He will always be my friend, the sex was just comfort for us both but now he has you and one day I'll have my own mate. Perhaps it will be soon, perhaps I will take another companion, most vampires as old as us have had several by now."

"You stayed together."

"We did. I demanded nothing from him nor him from me. We became comfortable and unlike many companions we do not spend so much time together as to become sick of each other. We are occasional lovers but mainly friends. Often we would lay, sated, discussing you." I flinched at her words picturing them together, her so perfect draped over him. I felt her hand on my back and let her lead me to the bed, "What is your favorite flower?"

"Daisies." I told her, letting her slip me into the bed. The sheets were softer and more luxurious than I could imagine, the bed enveloped me like a cloud.

"Is there anything you wanted to do, one experience you wanted to have more than anything?" I shook my head and sighed as sleep tugged at me, "Is there anything you want? Some possession you always dreamed to have?" Again I shook my head and this time yawned. "If we could give you one wish, any wish so that you'd be happy here, what would it be?"

"Time." I murmured as darkness claimed me. "To myself, to absorb it all. Forever. My dream angel. His lover. Time away from here."

I felt her hand run over my head, the way my mother would soothe me and sleep claimed me.

I slept a long time. I knew because it had been night when I went to bed and the sun was low in the sky when I woke up. There was a tray of food waiting and I picked at it before having another shower. On my search of his closet to commandeer another shirt to wear as a dress, I found my duffle. I dug through the clothes to find something clean and settled on a pair of jean shorts, faded and ripped with one pocket half hanging off and a loose and comfortable white tee. I stayed barefoot as I laid outside on the chaise letting my hair dry in the setting sun.

A little while later, I was joined by Aro, Heidi and Felix. "I prefer my brothers shirts." Was his amused greeting.

I rolled my eyes and snorted, "Tough."

"Insolent." He shook his head with a chuckle.

"So what's the reason for tonight's visit to the prison tower?"

"Freedom." Aro's smile turned almost sad.

"Freedom?"

"With a guard." Heidi smiled gently, "Felix and I will go with you on the rest of your trip."

"What about when I'm supposed to go home?"

"Caius is waiting in his office to speak with you, I will walk you there while Heidi and Felix bring your things and theirs in preparation to go."

I nodded and let him lead me out of the room and down to the same office Caius had first brought me to. He was inside with Athenodora. I nodded at them both before picking a spot on the wall and focusing on it.

"You have until this day." Caius set the locket down on the desk. "I _will_ come for you then _mate_. You _will_ be changed and you _will _be **mine**."

With that he disappeared from the room, "He's hurting, Caius is always angry when he hurts." Athenodora explained gently. I gave a curt nod, refusing to look at her less the tears burst free from my tight hold. She sighed, "He'll be waiting if you decide to return before this." She picked up the locket and clipped it around my neck before meeting my eyes, "I know you need time and he does love you enough to give it but please give him a chance, give yourself the chance to love him." I sniffled and swallowed as I nodded. Finally she stepped away and I was left alone with Aro again. He led the way to the throne room where Heidi and Felix were waiting along with a very large human man I was introduced to as Wolfe my human body guard.


	5. Chapter 5

Felix drove and I sat in the back next to Heidi, my heart aching as we put miles between us and the castle. We went straight to Rome and I explored, trailed by Wolfe, while Heidi and Felix hid from the sun, then it was on a quick flight, my original one cancelled in favor of a Volturi private jet in deference to my travel companions needs. A week in Greece, where Wolfe actually spoke to me, twice, when I told her Heidi laughed and took his photo to document the day. Instead of flying back to Italy and driving back North, we flew to Bucharest and then Budapest, Munich, Copenhagen and Stockholm, then Helsinki and St. Petersburg. I'd called my parents and told them I'd rationed the money so well I was extending my trip so September found me in Moscow. I had seen so much in such a short time, more than I dreamed of seeing but I was homesick. When I told Heidi she immediately made plans for us to fly back the United States.

I cried when I saw my mother and while my new 'friends' got settled in to their hotel, which was really just meant for Wolfe so he could sleep while they watched over me, I sat down with my mom and told her about the 'guy' I'd met in Italy.

"Why did you leave him?" She asked me gently again.

I answered her with a shrug, "Why get hurt like that again?"

"Oh baby." She hugged me, "It might be different this time."

"It might not." I argued, it was another vampire promising me forever and this one had a centuries old supermodel lover I'd never live up to. One who was several inches taller, with long willowy limbs, perfect pale skin, long dark brown almost black hair and exotic almond shaped blood red eyes.

"The worst thing we can do is live our lives in fear baby. Love hurts more than anything because it is worth more than anything in this universe."

"I'm scared." I admitted hugging her.

"I know."

"I miss him." I hadn't spent any time with him, how could I miss him? But it was true, I ached to simply be near him.

"You owe it to yourself to go back then."

"Just fly back to Italy?" I looked at her skeptically.

"Why not?" She laughed, "You deferred school for a year already, so you take the time off, get a work visa in Italy or maybe you'll end up going to school there. Or you'll come back, maybe with a broken heart, maybe having broken his heart and when you look back you'll remember the Italian love affair with no regrets."

"I love you mom." She let the topic drop and soon after Heidi arrived. I was pretty sure she'd been there the entire time but appreciated the time alone with my mom. We spent two weeks in Florida and I thought about Caius more every day, the ache growing inside of me.

From there we went to Forks, a much friendlier climate for my vampire babysitters so they were able to get out more again. I spent ten days with Charlie and when I told him I was going back to Italy he was happy for me. I left out the part about Caius and just told him I had fallen in love with the country. He was so happy I was doing well, so happy the trip to Europe had been successful in revitalizing my will to live life and not just exist it. I couldn't make him worry it was all because of Caius and it wasn't. I had begun to find myself in Europe, not Renee's serious daughter or Charlie's long lost kid or the girl Edward wanted me to be but me. So I hugged him and thanked him again for being such an amazing father and left it.

I was happy he had Sue to take care of him, they were growing stedily closer and I wondered if wedding bells were in their future. I hoped so, I wanted Charlie to be taken care of and loved. Though she and I spent little time together, I knew she made him happy, when I did see her, she looked at Heidi like Billy had the Cullen's. Felix and Wolfe made themselves scarce for the trip as they had when visiting my mother but I knew they were close.

Heidi was ecstatic we were going back. On the Volturi plane I panicked and knew I wasn't ready so we went to London. After a few days I convinced myself hiding wasn't helping and told Heidi she could return me to Volterra. I'd said what goodbye I could to my parents, what was the point of putting off my fate? I was just hurting us both and if he did break my heart, well wasn't it better to have what time I could have with him now, rather than regret leaving him with _Dora_ to comfort him.

The city filled me with peace as soon as we drove through the gates and it only increased as we walked through the castle to the throne room.

We bowed to the Kings but as with the first time my eyes sought out Caius. He looked… something wasn't right and I found myself moving, having ignored whatever Aro was saying, though as I passed I heard a chuckle and the word "Insolent."

Caius stood as I approached him, I frowned at him, "What happened?"

He frowned back at me and I vaguely heard Aro ask a question but ignored him searching Caius's eyes for answers. I lifted a hand to trace the dark circles under his eyes, "You're thirsty." I frowned and bit my lip, "Heidi hasn't been here to hunt for you." Had he been suffering because I had run away? Had he not been feeding because she wasn't there to bring them tourists?

I heard another chuckle but ignored it again. "He's right." Caius finally spoke gently.

"Who?" I asked letting my hand drop from his face.

A smile tugged at his mouth, "Aro."

I turned to Aro with a frown, "Sorry?"

"We are perfectly capable of hunting for ourselves." He repeated with a shake of his head.

I turned back to Caius still frowning and traced over the circle and then down his cheekbone. "You're thirsty." I repeated.

He nodded, resting his cheek in my palm. "So I am." He breathed me in.

"You have to be well fed to change me." I whispered.

Caius nodded in agreement, "Are you here to be changed?"

"Do I have a choice?"

His finger lifted to the locket, "For a little while."

I shook my head and stepped closer to him, breathing him in, "Please don't break me." I whispered, leaning into him.

His arms came around me as he held me against his chest, "Never."

"I don't want to love you." I clung to him as tears stung my eyes.

"I know." He comforted, "I'm sorry."

I nodded into his chest and he sighed lifting me easily into his arms and carrying me out as he had that first day. Instead of his office he brought me straight to the tower. There were daisies in glass water jugs and wine decanters.

He set me down and I moved to one fingering it gently, "Did you know I was coming."

"They remind me of you."

"Is that why you had flowers here before?"

He nodded, "Between plotting battles and fighting in them, between wars, time is hard for me. You smell like vanilla and flowers, freesia mostly but some others and the night you saved me you handed me one from the yard, a tulip. They reminded me you were coming."

I nodded and looked around the room, the curtains had been replaced by wood slatted shutters. I moved to the bedroom and saw the bed made up in white sheets that I knew felt like heaven, I sighed, "I liked the lace you know." I murmured thinking of the pretty accessory to the four-poster bed that I'd destroyed.

"I'll have it fixed." He promised.

"You should eat." I reminded him.

"Do you need anything?"

I turned to face him, "Will you come back? After your eyes are red again?"

He nodded. "With you they might never be but I'll come after I feed." I pondered his words as he disappeared. Next to the bed, the shower was heaven so I stripped down and got in letting the hot water soothe my muscles. I slipped into the closet and commandeered one of his white dress shirts wearing it over a clean pair of panties, I breathed in his scent as I walked back out and found the doors to the patio wide open and Caius waiting, leaning against the railing as he looked up at the night sky.

"Caius?" He turned to face me as I came outside. I frowned at him, "Your eyes are still black." The shadows under them were much better though and he looked more energized than he had in the throne room, he was once again filled with barely harnessed power, it was almost electric. That was the feeling that had been missing, that had worried me when we'd arrived, his electricity had been low. "Why are they still black."

"I told you, they can't be red with you."

I sighed, "I'm sorry my scent bothers you so much, I can be changed soon, there's just one thing I want first."

He was centimeters away from me in a flash, "Not just your scent Bella and it wont change with your change, not for me though I want that very much and will give you anything you want before or after."

"Make love to me."

Caius seemed to freeze, still as a statue. "Bella?"

"I'd ask someone else" he growled low at that, "but you might kill them and I don't want to die a virgin."

"You aren't going to die."

"I don't want to change one then."

"So you don't care who touches you, only you ask me because you fear for the life of another?"

"No but if you have a lover why can't I?"

"Athenodora is no longer my lover."

"Just your wife."

"She is no longer that either." He hissed.

"Fine then neither of us has one."

"Do you want me Bella?"

"I wish I didn't."

"I know." He stepped away.

"Caius?"

"Sleep well my mate." He nodded and disappeared.

I went looking for Heidi and found Demetri who whistled at my attire making me blush.

"Looking for the kitchens human?"

"Heidi." I told him even as my stomach growled. "I am hungry though." I told him with a blush.

Demetri laughed and plucked me up onto his back. A moment later and we were in the kitchen, "You'll have to take it from here." He made a face, "Human food is beyond me. Or I can find Giana or Wolfe."

"I can do it, thanks."

"So why are you looking for Heidi?"

"I had a vampire question."

"Well look at that." He grinned, "I happen to be a vampire."

I laughed at him and hit him in the head with a little carrot. He pretended to growl but it was ruined by his laughter. "Come on, ask away human."

"Your eyes go black when you're hungry."

"Yes."

"Caius fed and his eyes were still black. He said they'd always be around me."

"You make him hungry." He chuckled.

"Even when I'm changed?"

Demetri chuckled and winked, "You'll always make him hungry."

I blushed as his meaning became clear but I set down the knife I was chopping with as I frowned at the salad and thought. "If he's so damn hungry why'd he leave? Unless he's with _her_." I hissed at the cutting board and then shoved it away. "I'm not hungry after all." I spun away from Demetri but he caught me up half a second later and set me on the counter.

"Your mate hasn't been with Athenodora since you stepped foot in this castle the first time, as to why he left you I cannot imagine but if I'd had to guess it was either fear he'd hurt you in his lust or the same stupidity that had him let you leave in the first place." He rolled his eyes, 'Giving you time to come to him." He snorted. "You're his mate, he ought to claim you, change you and claim you again. Why a man of his instincts is playing at being anything but the vampire he is, is truly beyond me but _that_ I'd bet has something to do with that pampered princess mistress. Mean well or not she needs to butt the hell out." I glared at him even as my mind spun with this information, "You could of course just march in and claim his millennia old, hiding under his desk like a human child, vampiric ass yourself."

I snorted at him, "I don't want to."

"There in lies the problem my future Queen. You lust for him but don't want him; you desire him but don't love him; and you keep trying to hate him when what you really hate is that he's not being him."

"That makes no sense."

"Which part?"

"The last part." The first two points were true, "What's with the future Queen thing too?"

"You will be his mate, his partner and our Queen."

"Sulpicia isn't queen."

"Technically she is though she chooses not to rule. There are different types of queens those who rule and those who support the King they married. As Caius's mate I do not believe that will be true of you."

"Fine, whatever, so what about me hating him for not being him? I don't even know him."

"You do, you just don't know it yet."

"What are you an old wise woman? Stupid riddles."

Demetri laughed, "It means that you are angry because part of you can tell he's holding back from you and as mates you should never hold back from each other. You want to hate him and that I don't understand."

"I have these blurry half remembered dreams of watching an angel fight demons he was losing until he was wrapped in this glow and the demons faltered enough for the angel to win. When he came over to me he looked in my eyes and stopped in his tracks after a minute he picked me up and carried me inside. I barely remember the dream now and didn't at all until I walked in and saw the angel sitting on a throne, a vampire king. He's suddenly my mate and knew it when he met me but just left for fourteen years? All the while he's supposedly waiting for me he's married to a gorgeous vampire? Why didn't he want me? I get that I was a child but why ignore me entirely? Why stay married to another woman? I could have died before his stupid date and I almost did more than once!"

Demetri looked solemn as he nodded, "You are alive and here though."

"I don't want to be."

"Why come back then?"

"I" I sighed, "I missed him which is stupid since I don't know him."

"Get to know him."

I stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed. Demetri kept me company while I cooked and ate then he walked me back to my room. It was three days before I went to find Caius again.


	6. Chapter 6

"Bella?" He looked up from his desk questioningly.

"Does this place have a library or something? I'm bored out of my mind."

"Of course." He nodded, "My personal library in here is yours though it's all war and strategy. There is a large library and a modern games room, have you not explored the castle?"

"Didn't know I was aloud to."

"This is your home Bella, you may go where you like."

"Fine." I turned and left to wander around. That was not what I'd wanted to say or how I'd wanted the meeting to go. I sighed and continued on until I was well and truly lost. "Hello? Demetri? Heidi? Anyone?"

"Looking for something?" I turned to the voice and was met by two vampires; they looked very young.

"How old were you…"

"Fifteen." The boy answered.

"Were you looking for us?" The girl asked. "Has Aro requested us?"

I shook my head at her, "I got lost."

"You're in the oldest wing of the castle. Only Jane and I come here."

"Jane?" I asked her.

She nodded, "And my twin Alec."

I sent him a smile as well, "Sorry to intrude on your area, maybe you can point me back?"

"To where?"

I shrugged, "Anywhere but the tower."

"I was going to the library." Jane offered.

"Perfect."

Alec held out his arm so I took it. "You smell amazing."

"Um, thanks." I blushed looking at my feet.

They didn't rush me or carry me but walked slowly, even at my standards, through the halls, ghosting along as other vampires moved out of their way or turned down other halls.

"Are they afraid of you?" I whispered as we passed through one larger hallway.

"Most are." Alec shrugged.

"All outside the Main Guard." Jane agreed.

I nodded and we wound our way to the reception desk and down an elevator.

"Where are we going?"

"To the car though we'll have to take another as ours has only two seats." Alec informed me as the elevator dropped.

"I thought we were going to the library?"

"We thought you might prefer to get out." Jane supplied.

"We'll go to the book store." Alec agreed.

"Can you read each others minds?"

"Not quite."

"At times it is as though our thoughts are shared though."

"Our emotions as well."

"Being vampire increased our bond as twins."

"Living centuries side by side also strengthened the ties."

"Right." I nodded and let them lead me to a car where Alec handed me into the back seat. He drove as unhurried as he walked while Jane pointed out parts of the town or talked about what used to be in some places.

We stopped at a café where Alec ordered me a coffee and pastry. We sat outside and watched the people passing.

"Does no one question the cloaks?"

"We work at the castle, all who live here know this, we are like the Swiss Guard at the Vatican or the Queen's Guard in Buckingham Palace, no one questions our uniforms because they have always been."

"Right." I wiped my hands on the napkin and took a last sip of coffee.

Alec stood when my cup hit the saucer and helped me up slipping my arm back through the crook of his arm. They led me to the bookstore and Jane flitted away through the shelves while Alec stayed with me. Neither of them rushed me in fact they both seemed as content to slowly browse the shelves as I was.

I picked out three and found Jane waiting at the front. Alec handed her my books and she gave them to the woman at the cash.

"They'll be at the castle when we return." Jane informed me as she led the way out. The afternoon sun was bright but they turned us away from the direction of the car and walked me around the town, stopping at a small shop to buy me gelato before bringing me to a clothing shop.

"Is there a dress code?" I asked as Jane removed her cloak and hung it on a hook to browse through the dresses in the shop while Alec waited by it.

"Not for you."

"For others?"

"Life is more formal than you are used to. Think of the men and women and rituals in the collection of Austen you purchased. Life in the castle is more like that. More formal. As the guard we wear the Volturi crest always and present ourselves well."

"So I should be wearing dresses?" I made a face at one shapeless shift.

"You may wear whatever you choose Princess." Alec offered placing his hand on my back and turning me to face a different way, this held cases of jewelry.

I browsed the cases and then turned back to the racks of clothing. I picked out two dresses but before I could pay they were swept away.

"Come." Alec offered his arm and Jane led us into two other shops, one was underground and held beautiful clothes with labels I recognized as being top of the line.

When I grew tired of shopping they seemed to know in a moment before I did and led me back towards the car. Alec stopped us at a restaurant and ordered in quick Italian, moments later three small plates were put in front of us. I picked at mine as they moved food around their plates. In a swift move between bites they had shifted the plates so I was eating from a different one and then a third. When I was full each plate looked like we'd eaten a portion.

Alec helped me up from the table again and then into the back seat of the car. He helped Jane into the front and then drove us back to the castle as the sun set.

I woke up in Alec's arms as Jane was pushing open the door to the tower. With a yawn I apologized, "I'm sorry."

"Sleep Princess. It's been a long day for you." Jane whispered as Alec carried me inside and set me on the bed. She removed my shoes and Alec appeared again with the blanket from the couch to cover me.

I took her advice and let my eyes close again. When I woke up it was still dark and a glance at my watch said it was barely five am. In the living room was a rack of clothing I had chosen and several bags. I opened them and in one I found my books, in the others I found some jewelry I had paused over, a pair of shoes I'd admired but been to intimidated to buy since there was a heal, a pretty velvet cloak and an envelope. In is was a little map that looked like the reception area with a hallway drawn from it.

I showered and dressed in one of the pretty dresses before moving barefoot through the castle. The stones were cool on my feet and the castle quiet, or rather outside the castle was quiet, inside the place was always quiet, calm and cool. I found the reception, which was again empty of its human employee. I examined the paper and chose the door it indicated. The hallways were not shown on the map, only the path so I hesitated at a few spots but wound my way along until I thought I'd reached the end.

"Hello?"

Jane appeared smiling at me. "You look lovely."

"Princess." Alec nodded.

I blushed at him, "Why do you call me that?"

"You are the mate of our King. When you are turned you will be our Queen." Jane informed me.

"Oh." I shifted, "Could you maybe just call me Bella."

"It is our honor." Alec smiled and they both nodded.

"Where am I?"

"Down there," Jane pointed down the hall "is where we found you yesterday." She led the way a little further down the hall and Alec held out his arm to guide me after her. "These are our rooms." Jane informed me moving into a large suite. "The door to the left is Alec and I'm on the right." She led us through to a garden.

"Are you gifted?"

"I cause pain." Jane answered easily making me shiver.

"I can remove all senses." Alec added. "Our gifts and our joy in using them to serve our Kings is why we are feared."

"Oh."

"Shall we play a game?" Jane asked as easily as if we'd been discussing the weather.

I shrugged and she sat cross-legged on the ground. I copied the motion and Alec disappeared reappearing with a small case. They taught me to play a card game they knew and then backgammon, while Jane and I played this Alec sat back and strummed on a guitar. It was peaceful as the sun rose up around us and I didn't notice as they began to sparkle until the music stopped.

"Aro is requesting us." Jane spoke up softly.

"Oh." I sighed, sorry for the morning to end but finally really looking at them. "You're beautiful."

Jane smiled at me, "All vampires sparkle."

"I know and all are beautiful but that doesn't mean you two aren't something special to see."

"Thank you." Alec nodded.

"Vampires aren't all beautiful, most of us only seem that way to human eyes."

I nodded and let Alec haul me to my feet, he led me to the sitting room and they both disappeared, reappearing in seconds, Alec in his many buttoned frock coat and Jane in her cloak. She led the way while he slipped my hand in his elbow and led me away.

"Am I supposed to come?" I whispered.

"You may choose not to." Alec offered in answer.

I shrugged, "I guess I can come."

They led me down the halls and into the Throne room.

"Bella." Aro smiled at me but my eyes moved to find Caius. Alec stepped forward which tugged at me to move so I let him lead me to the dais where he slid my hand from his arm and Aro took it to guide me up the dais. At the top of the steps I moved away from him and towards Caius. It was like he was a magnet and if I was near him I had to be next to him. Caius stood and settled me into his throne but I kept hold of his hand.

Aro was speaking but all I could focus on was the cool palm against mine and our entwined fingers. There was some kind of meeting I didn't pay any attention to and then Caius was tugging me up and leading me back to his office.

"What do you do?" I asked him as he moved around to his desk.

"Plan out and fight wars."

"Twenty four hours a day for eternity?"

Caius rolled his eyes, "I am King, I make sure our laws are upheld and punish those who disobey, I read, I organize and yes often I am plotting or fighting in battles."

"Are you bored?"

"Marcus is bored with life, I am… annoyed with it."

"What is Aro?"

"Amused."

"With what?"

"Everything. Life and what is in it still delights him."

"Not Marcus and you though?"

"Marcus lost his mate, she was Aro's sister. He is bored with life and all the problems of other vampires."

"You?"

"I had no reason to be delighted or amused with never ending life alone."

"You haven't been alone."

"Athenodora was my companion Bella, not my mate, she was a holding place and we met each others needs, take out the sex and she is no more to me than Marcus or Aro, perhaps less. Had I been inclined to take another companion I would have as I took other lovers over the centuries. As it was she was the only company I found tolerable."

"You have had a mate for fourteen years, are you delighted and amused by life now?"

"I have been waiting in slow agony while my mate grew up, there is nothing delightful or amusing about it. I am impatient by nature and while a decade is a short time relatively it felt like a very long time to wait when I knew you existed."

"Well here I am, all grown up, you hardly seem less annoyed with the situation."

"Frustration is a new feeling for me."

"I frustrate you?"

"Why must you twist what I say to sound like something else?"

"I'm not twisting anything. I was asking."

"Why are you so angry with me?"

"I could have died while you lived here fucking her." I hissed at him. "Now I'm expected to give up my entire life because what? You got tired of her? Or not even, _fate_ just stuck you with me." I spun away but he was blocking my path by the time I'd turned.

Caius was growling at me "Do you think it was easy? That I didn't want to steal you from your mother, your life back then or every year since?"

"So why didn't you?"

"I gave you the chance to live! So you were not simply raised by vampires to be nothing more than my mate!"

"You gave me a life so you could take it away?"

"You want your life then go home, live it!"

"So I can meet new people to say goodbye to? Fall in love only to have it stolen from me in three years?"

In a swift movement he was holding the locket, the chain broken from around my neck, "Go if you want to go." He growled.

I ran around him and made my way to the tower, tears running down my cheeks. I wasn't sure where the words had come from, I didn't want to leave, I just wanted to know him.


	7. Chapter 7

The day passed slowly as I unpacked my things, lining them up in the large closet next to his. I knew it was wrong but I sat staring at the safe and on impulse I punched in the date in May I'd first seen him. The safe beeped and opened.

I slammed it shut again and went to shower and then, dressed in another of his shirts, this one a tee than was just long enough to cover everything, I lay outside and let the sun dry my hair. Curiosity got the best of me and I went inside, I hesitated before entering the code again and pulling out the items it held. An old photo album held stalker photos of me from the time I was five. The first was taken as I was sleeping, the date was the same night I'd first seen him, each consecutive photo was taken on that same day in May. I found copies of report cards, drawings from when I was little followed by papers I'd written for class, two USB ports and three velvet boxes. I stole those and went to my laptop. The first held home movies I knew Renee had. The second was filled with bank records and copies of bills, I recognized all of it, my parents and mine, including the flush of money in my grandparents accounts after they died, the money that was used to send me to Europe. I put them back in the safe and opened the boxes. In the largest was a beautiful jewelry set with a bracelet, necklace, earrings and ring all black diamonds with a few white diamonds. Carefully I closed it and opened another box in this one was an ancient compact mirror with diamonds inlaid. The last box held a very delicate and beautiful hair comb. Gently I replaced all the items in the safe along with the journal I had refused to let myself open. I went back to sit in the afternoon sun and sketch in my leather journal.

Caius joined me as the sun set.

"I looked in your safe." I admitted quietly.

"I sent Demetri to check on you."

"Every year?"

"Until you were sixteen."

"Why stop then?"

"It was to hard not to come for you."

"The money from my grandparents was from you."

"They had very little to show for their lives, it was a way I could take care of you."

"Why not just come for me when I was sixteen?"

Caius sighed, "In this time, that is still a child, not like in mine or even Jane's and I wanted us to be equals. I wanted you to be ready for me."

"Why hasn't Athenodora been in here?"

"She has, twice now, though she found you absent on her second visit. She doesn't often leave her tower."

"She has her own tower?"

"She does. Sulpicia spends much time with her there while Aro is busy. It is rare they leave here. Athenodora only deigns to leave when Aro requires Sulpicia for important matters. They have become very close over the centuries, like sisters."

"It's not what I meant."

"I told you, I do not like people in my space. They only dare enter now because it is for you."

"If you don't like people here why keep me here?"

"I like you here."

"Oh."

We were quiet for a minute before he spoke, "The jewels were in my family before I was turned. They will be yours. Do you like them?"

I nodded biting my lip. "When are you going to change me?"

"When you are ready."

"When will that be?"

"That is up to you."

"Will you do it?"

"Yes."

"Ciaus?"

"Bella?"

"Your eyes are black again."

"I imagine they are."

"Are you thirsty?"

"No."

"You aren't angry I invaded your safe?"

"Everything I have and am is yours Bella. Though I would ask you not to wear my shirts outside this room again."

"Why?"

"I want to burn them for lusting for your blood, having them lust for your body tries my very limited self control."

"Oh." I blushed.

"Are you hungry."

I shrugged, "A little."

Caius disappeared and returned silently a moment later. Time ticked by as we sat in silence until a knock sounded on the door bringing my dinner with it.

Caius served me and then pulled out a book while I ate. When I was finished he set the dishes outside and I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. It was cooler now and I shivered and slid into the bed my internal clock was fucked and since I wouldn't have one anymore soon and everyone else here didn't sleep so it didn't matter what hours I kept, I didn't bother trying to right it.

"Caius?" I whispered. He joined me in the room. "Will you tell me about you?"

He moved to the end of the bed and sat down, his voice like warm honey flowed over me as he started as far back in his human years as his memory allowed. I fought to stay awake to listen but as the room darkened I couldn't fight it and drifted off.

The next day I found him in his office. "Will you tell me more?" I asked as he looked up at me.

"It's cold today." He told me taking my arm and leading me through to the reception, "Giana get my Princess hot tea and soup to our rooms." He snapped as we passed. He led me to the tower then and moved me to sit on the couch, returning to lay a warm blanket around me before sitting in a chair and backing up his story until he could pick up where my memory was still clear. The day passed in his stories and he never seemed to mind my interruptions and random questions about the times.

The next day I asked him where his favorite places were and all the random small questions like his favorite color and show. In between these I answered them for him along with a question or two he occasionally asked.

"Why don't you like music?" He asked one day.

I shrugged, "I don't like what it reminds me of."

"What's that?"

"Lies. Love. The life I dreamed of that was stolen."

Caius nodded and left without another word.

"Caius?" I let myself in his office the following day. It was empty but I heard screams and followed them to the throne room. When they faded I waited a little longer until Heidi appeared.

"Everything is clear Bella."

I shook my head at her and turned on my heal running barefoot back to my tower. Caius didn't come that day or the next and I didn't go to find him.

The third day I couldn't take missing him so I repeated the steps of the other day, to his empty office and then the throne room.

A vampire was kneeling as I came in and moved up to the dais, ignoring whatever Aro was saying to the man.

He stopped me when I reached the steps, his smile amused, "So good of you to join us Bella, we were just in the middle of discussing an important problem with impertinence."

I rolled my eyes at him, "Don't let me stop your tirade." I waved at the vampire and turned back to the steps.

Aro laughed and shook his head, "Insolent girl." He led me up the steps and waved me at Caius who stood and motioned me to his throne.

"Where have you been?" I asked him not sitting.

"Here." He frowned at me.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Are you going to change me or leave me to rot in that tower?"

"You may do as you please Bella. I will change you when you are ready."

I snorted, "Fine, I'm going out."

"Heidi." He nodded to the wall.

"I don't want or need a babysitter."

"You will take a guard."

"I didn't have one the first eighteen, almost nineteen years of my life, I don't need one now."

Caius stood immovable his dark expression stone. I rolled my eyes at him, "What are you going to do lock me up for not taking her with me?"

"She'll go regardless of your feelings on the matter."

"Fine, Heidi lets go."

"Where are you going?"

"Bulgaria."

"There is an outbreak of werewolves there."

"I have a body guard."

"I will lock you in that damn tower." Caius growled.

"Why am I not surprised? Your definition of free to live my own life is a little skewed from actual freedom."

Caius growled at me and I crossed my arms and glared back at him until I saw his lips twitch. "Where do you want to go then?"

"Siena." I tested closer first.

"Fine."

"Then Monaco." I pushed. He nodded. "I can go, alone?"

"No." I growled and stomped my foot making his smile widen, "I'll take you."

"You?" I tilted my head in thought, trying not to smile as I nodded, "Ok."

With a nod Caius again motioned me to his throne, "This will only take a moment to conclude." He reminded me of our audience making me blush.

"Please continue Kevin." Aro motioned to the guest.

"I, uh, Maria, um, newborns…" his eyes strayed to me as he stumbled over his words.

Aro sighed and held out his hand for the vampire to touch. A moment later he stepped back , "I see. Well, I suppose it's past time something was done about her." He turned back toward Caius and Marcus whom I noticed for the first time had what could resemble an almost smile on his face. "It seems Maria is up to her old tricks and her new borns are causing a stir. Jane, Alec go with Demetri and Felix, take whom you may need and solve this little problem."

"Yes master." Jane answered as she and Alec both bowed. Felix and Demetri stepped forward also bowing and they all left the throne room.

Caius motioned me to stand and led me from the room.

He had a small bag packed and me settled in a Ferrari within the hour. "Siena or straight to Monaco?"

"Monaco. I never got there before." He nodded and started to drive, the silence wrapping around us like a blanket.

"What music did you like before coming here?" He asked me as we passed the Italian-French border.

"Before it hurt to listen to you mean?"

Caius frowned, "I believed you said it was my stealing your life that caused music to sadden you."

"No." I shook my head, "I never said it was anything to do with you."

"So what then?"

"I don't want to talk about that." I told him softly, trying not to think of the Cullen's as I looked out the window. It didn't hurt like it used to but thinking about them still made me sad. After a few minutes of silence I added, "I used to like a lot of different music. It all depended on my mood. Alec played for me once, I enjoyed that."

"He is very good." Caius agreed.

"Caius?"

"Yes?"

"Did you love her?"

"Dora?" He frowned, "As much as I believed I could, yes I suppose I did."

"How are you so ok with forever being over?"

Caius frowned as he turned to me, "Athenodora was never my forever Bella, you are. You always have been. Dora and I both knew that we were merely companions and we've had more than a decade to end things amicably." I nodded, "Was there a boy at home?"

"He promised me forever too but it was a lie."

"Humans know little of forever and even less of love."

"He wasn't human."

His hands tightened on the steering wheel as his focus returned to the road, "Did he hurt you?"

"He broke my heart, left a hole there that can't heal."

"I could kill him for it."

"No." I begged. "Please, Caius, no."

"Is that how you knew of our kind?"

"Yes, well, I guessed it and he confirmed it and then… I don't know."

"I can make you two promises in this life Bella. First, I am yours, forever. We are mates and my heart and soul belong only to you."

"Second?"

"I will kill any who hurt you."

I nodded and the car became quiet as he drove, "Can you be Caius and me Bella and all the vampires, mating, forever stuff stay in Volterra?" I asked after a while.

He nodded slowly, "Yes. For the next few days we can simply be, you and I."

"Thank you."

Caius was true to his word. We gambled in Monte Carlo and the days were cloudy enough that he took me anywhere I wanted to go throughout the day.

"Ciaus?"

"Bella." He appeared in the bedroom of the suite where I was lying down.

"When we get back will you take me on your motorcycle?"

"Of course."

"Where do you ride?"

"All around Tuscany. It's beautiful and peaceful."

"Caius?"

"Hmm?"

"When will you change me?"

"When you're ready."

Silence fell again, until quietly I whispered, "Caius?"

"Yes?" he whispered back.

"Will you lay with me?" He didn't answer just moved to the bed and nudged me over, sliding beside me and lifting his arm. I settled into his chest and drifted off.

We spent a week of in France, being young together, doing silly things or just being together. It was perfect and I wanted it never to end, unfortunately Ciaus was a King and it was only the week before he was summoned back.


	8. Chapter 8

"The Maria situation is out of control." Jane was exclaiming as we walked in.

"Ah Caius, Bella, welcome back." Aro motioned us in and Caius led me up to his throne and kissed my temple before settling me into his throne and focusing on the matter at hand.

"Aro?" He growled.

"Maria's forces are much larger than expected as it seems she's been joined by a very vindictive creature who holds a rather nasty grudge against our old friend Carlisle. Being that his coven mate is one long due for retribution in her eyes, Maria and she have become quite the pair."

"Carlisle?" I felt the air sucked out of my lungs. "Carlisle Cullen?"

I saw a miniscule change in Caius and knew rage moved through him so I took his hand and squeezed it, I'd just confirmed the coven who broke the secret, being that all Cullen's were mated but one I had also as good as named the vampire that broke my heart. All eyes in the room were on me.

I couldn't think about that now though, a vindictive vamp with a grudge was after the Cullen's? Please god don't let it be who I thought it was. "Is her new ally Victoria?"

"It is." Jane confirmed.

My heart jumped into my throat as I focused on my mate, and begged in a quiet and trembling voice, "Please Caius, we have to help them. She's doing this because of me."

"You?" He demanded all his attention focused on me. I could still see the rage and hate he felt at the knowledge of Edward having hurt me and I knew he wanted nothing more than to hurt Edward and would maybe ignore the Maria problem until one or the other won the battle before stepping in to punish the remaining coven. In his eyes though I also saw worry for me and pain that whatever he didn't know about this, he knew it wasn't good and I had hurt because he hadn't been there to protect me.

I nodded and explained about James and his coven, in a quiet voice, my eyes not leaving his as I could see the anger, regret and sorrow grow in their crimson depths. Carefully he lifted my wrist to his mouth and kissed the scar. He'd never asked about it before, I knew he'd noticed it, his thumb would run over it or he'd kiss it, anger and pain in his eyes. Now he knew the truth and someone would pay.

"Laws have been broken and judgment must be passed. We will go." Aro nodded after my story was finished and the throne room was silent again. I could hear his own anger but was lost in Caius as he tugged me to my feet and led me away and up the steps to our tower.

He had been silent on the walk here, and still stood silent as he moved to the balcony to look out at the night sky. "Please don't be angry." I whispered, following him out and standing in the doorway.

"That child is the farthest thing you could find from me." He finally answered, not turning to look at me.

"Caius." I hugged his back and felt his muscles slowly relaxing. "Athenodora is nothing like me either." I reminded him quietly.

"She is nothing compared to you." He corrected, turning in my arms so my head rested against his solid, cool chest.

"Neither is Edward." It was the first time I had spoken his name outloud since he'd left and I was surprised there was only the tiniest bittersweet ache. I shrugged it off and focused on Caius. "I'm here with you, I _want_ to be here with you." I finally admitted it to us both. The truth was that I had slowly fallen deeply in love with him, not the King, the terrifying merciless Volturi, but Caius, the man who'd lived three centuries and still took joy in watching me run at the waves on a beach in France and filled his room with flowers because they reminded him of me. The man who'd fought a thousand battles and still saw beauty in the world, in me.

"Do you? Is this not a prison for you any more?"

"No." I assured him moving up on my tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips. I pulled away quickly but Caius growled and pulled me back to him before kissing me passionately.

I moaned into his mouth and heard the fabric of my dress tear in his fingers.

Hours later I stirred, my body ached but in the most amazing way. I stretched and felt cool arms tighten around me.

"Slow my Mate. I've injured you some."

I sighed and stretched again, "I feel amazing."

He chuckled and kissed me, "I'm glad you are not angry I lost control."

"If you lost control, I'd be dead."

He chuckled again and pulled me tighter to his body, "I could never lose myself that much Bella, it would be easier to light myself on fire."

"Will you change me now?"

"I could but I must go and I would rather be here for you every moment when that time comes."

"Go?"

"My brothers and I must take the guard to deal with this."

"You wont hurt them will you?" I whispered quietly, my heart stopping in my chest as I thought of the family I still loved so much.

"Maria has long danced the line of the law and now she's pushed luck to far. If her ally has sights against you then already she has broken law as a traitor to the Volturi." His voice was uncompromising, the Volturi king who gave no second chances.

"I meant…"

"They have broken law as well." He interrupted, voice harsh.

I ran my hand down his chest to soothe the anger I felt flowing through him, he calmed but only slightly, I knew his anger was pain. I had been hurt and he hadn't protected me. "I love them." I whispered sadly. He stiffened but nodded as he extracted himself from me and the bed. "Caius?" his name a broken plea, for forgiveness or understanding or for their lives, I wasn't sure.

"Aro comes, the guard is ready, it's time to leave, as my Princess you have right to be there, as you will be my Queen, one day it will be duty, today it is your choice."

I nodded and slipped from the bed disappearing into the closet and dressing. My libs ached deliciously and I ran my hadn gently over the bruises, remembering every caress, every tender kiss and how gentle he'd been when he realized I was untouched, the look in his eyes as he broke my barrier and the way his hands had gripped my hips as he'd brought me, screaming his name, into womanhood.

Aro and Caius were talking quietly in the living room when I emerged. With a nod they rose and Caius took my hand, leading me out of the room.

The atmosphere was a mixture of tension, and restrained excitement as the guard travelled to the Midwest. I was bundled in a warm cloak and boots to fight the chill of the weather but nothing was as cold to me as the distance I felt between Caius and I. We'd only just come together and things were worse than before.

Athenodora placed a hand on my shoulder in comfort and I turned sad eyes on her, willing her to give me advice. If he was hurt he'd be angry, if he was angry he'd be angry but instead he was cool and detached and I was hurting.

I knew when we got close because the others stirred and Caius's cold mask became harder. I pulled his hand to stop and leaned into his back, breathing in the scent of crisp autumn apples, honey and that scent that belonged only to him. "I love you." It was a whisper a vampire would need to strain to hear, it was a plea to bring my Caius back to me and for him to forgive me the betrayal of loving the Cullen's.

I knew he heard me as he his body tensed, slowly he turned and pulled me into his chest. "I love you." He whispered it in my ear, his cool breath tickling the whorls of my ear. The rest of the guard faded away as we focused only on each other.

The moment however, was broken by Aro's gentle voice. "We should continue."

We continued travelling to the Montana residence where Demetri had determined that the Cullen's were at. I was surrounded, even more than since we'd left Volterra with Heidi and Felix on either side. Alec had taken my arm and Jane walked beside him. Heidi stood to my other side, Felix beside her. In front of us was Caius and his brothers. Behind me, Demetri had moved from where he'd been leading the way to behind me, Sulpicia, Athenodora and the rest of our travelling guard behind him. I felt protected and loved surrounded by them.

I knew where we were going and why, I'd told myself I was prepared but I'd been so focused on Caius that I hadn't prepared myself. Maybe there was nothing that I could have done to prepare myself.

I didn't listen as Aro and Carlisle spoke, the voice I hadn't heard in so long stung at my heart and I stepped forward into Caius's back without thought breathing him in and reminding myself that he loved me, for me. Gasps and growls erupted as Caius shifted wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into his side, ignoring propriety and duty as he comforted me.

"Are you well?" He whispered into my ear. I snuggled closer to him breathing him in, not ready to look up and actually see the family that had all but broken me and battling an irrational fear that somehow they'd take him from me this time too.

Peace slowly filled me, along with calm, comfort and love. "Jasper." I whispered. Recognizing the artificial emotions filling me and finding more comfort in them as I remembered his eyes and his voice so long ago, stating so surely that I was worth it, worth fighting for.

Tears stung my eyes as memories of him brought forth more of his wife and mate, the tiny pixie I had loved more than I could have a sister of my own blood. I buried my head in Caius's chest, breathing him deeper and trying to let Jasper's influence carry away the pain and fear trying to consume me. I felt lips on the crook of my neck and shoulder, shivering at the cold and everything disappeared but Caius. Slowly I pulled back, just enough to meet his eyes and I nodded. I was ok now.

He tucked me back against him, "I'm sorry." He whispered, though I wasn't sure what he apologized for, I nodded and kissed his neck. With a last deep breath I pulled back and gave him a weak smile, turning to note that the guard had surrounded us with concerned looks.

I smiled at them and nodded mouthing, "I'm sorry" To Aro. Sulpicia had moved to stand tucked against his side and smiled warmly at me, her eyes sad and understanding. Aro shook his head, in response to my silent apology, his eyes still concerned so I sent him another smile and nod. Marcus put his hand on his brothers shoulder as though to silently assure him all was well and the guard began melting back to their original places so again the Kings were at the front, joined now by myself and Sulpicia who stood just behind Aro now, her hand gently on the small of his back while Caius kept me firmly against his side.

"Excuse the interruption." Aro nodded at the confused Cullen's, "Our Princess is more affected by being in your presence than I had anticipated, a fault for which I am certain to be forgiven for. Her nature is so forgiving after all. Certainly she has forgiven you and even seeks our forgiveness on your behave. Sulpicia agrees with her and as I can no more go against my mate than Caius can, it seems majority is in your favor this time Carlisle. A fact I am grateful for as our friendship is long. No doubt the delightful Alice has already foretold we do not come to met out well deserved punishment to your son or coven but in response to the various accounts of Maria and Victoria playing loose with our laws."

Nine confused expressions gazed back at us and I snuggled closer to Caius with a sigh. It was cold, I was tired and the adrenaline was leaving my body.

"Rest is in order." Athenodora moved beside Caius and I. "There is time yet is there not Alice? Surely the new borns are not upon us this afternoon."

Alice shook her head still looking shocked, "Um, I, well, sometime next week, I believe. With the first snow."

"Please. Come inside. We've two residences, a mile west belongs to the Whitlocks and ours is only a few miles further."

I sighed and let my weight fall entirely on Caius, no way I was walking through the woods another few miles. He chuckled and lifted me. I was surprised to find myself in a warm room moments later. Jane and Heidi already helping me from cool clothes and into a warm bed.

"Rest Princess." Jane settled beside me picking up a book while Heidi disappeared and Alec entered sitting cross-legged on the ground and beginning to play gently on a guitar. Where it had magically appeared from, I didn't know but the gentle strumming carried me into sleep easily.


	9. Chapter 9

When I woke I used the bathroom and changed, my duffle having appeared at the foot of the bed. Downstairs I found Alec, Jane, Heidi and Felix with the two strangers, Alice and Jasper. No one looked particularly comfortable.

"Demetri went to get you food. He'll return soon." Heidi smiled at me. I nodded and smiled back moving into the living room and sitting, giving shy glances to the four people in the room I'd not arrived with.

"Is this your home?" I asked the strangers remembering Carlisle had said the second house belonged to Whitlock, a name I didn't know.

"Mine." Jasper nodded. "I bought it for all of us though, back before Alice and I met."

"Whitlock?" I frowned at him.

He nodded, "Hale was useful for the human lie, as is Cullen and McCarty but in the vampire world I am, always have been and always will be Major Jasper Whitlock."

"We never remembered our names but as our sire and coven leader Jasper gave us his." The woman added softly, "We're his coven though the Cullen's have become his."

I frowned at her not sure I understood, but shrugged, "Well thanks for letting us stay." I yawned and blushed, "Sorry." My stomach grumbling only made the blush deepen.

"Bella…" Alice's voice faded off.

"You looked confused." The words popped out of my mouth before thinking and she tilted her head in question. "Earlier, or yesterday or whatever." I waved my hand in emphasis, "When we arrived and Aro said you would have foreseen why we were here."

Alice looked at her hands and I knew somehow if she'd still been human she'd be blushing. "I didn't see." She whispered.

"Did you think they were coming to kill you then?" I frowned at her.

Alice shook her head, "I didn't see at all." She met my eyes, "We didn't know you, they, were coming until we smelled them.

"Oh." I frowned at her and then shook my head, "No matter I guess. We are all here for the same reason." I frowned again and looked around, "Where is everyone." I felt my stomach roll and looked at Heidi, "Where's Caius?"

Heidi shook her head, "Hunting. Aro is with Carlisle."

"Heidi?"

"Did you really expect him to do nothing? They broke the law." Felix growled.

"They broke the law or they broke my heart?" I hissed, surprisingly vampiric. He looked away tugging Heidi into his chest.

"It's the same thing." Alec responded with a shrug.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Hardly."

"To go against the Volturi is to break the law." Jane supplied.

"You are the Volturi, my Princess." Alec agreed.

"Ignorance is not an excuse." Jane agreed.

"Its two laws broken."

"Informing a human."

"And hurting our Princess."

The twins continued in their unique manner of finishing each others thoughts, each growing more angry with each word, their eyes having shifted from red to black.

I held up my hands and willed them to be calm, I could feel Jasper's gift pumping into the room, quietly I reminded them of the one thing I thought might make a difference, if my pain rally meant so much in this, "And hurting them will only hurt me more." Both twins looked away from the Whitlocks to me, eyes going Red again as they looked to their feet and moved back against the wall. I sighed in relief and sank back further into the couch. "So where is he really and what exactly did he do?"

"He removed an appendage from Edward and is now, actually hunting." Heidi supplied.

"Only one?" I questioned surprised.

"His head." Felix shrugged.

"Any more time spent there and he'd have done real damage." Heidi agreed.

I swallowed back bile and closed my eyes with a nod. My mate did nothing to hide his violent side from me, recounted in gory detail all events of his life when I'd asked.

I opened my eyes again and focused on the strangers, "Sorry, I'm, uh, Bella Swan."

"Volturi." Heidi and the twins responded immediately.

I rolled my eyes at them and then shrugged at my two hosts, "Apparently the name is coming with the change."

The woman smirked, "I'm Charlotte and this is my mate Peter."

"Bella." Jasper began. I turned to him in question, "I, I'm sorry, for"

"Don't" I cut him off, pain filling me at the memories; "It was never your fault Jasper. I hope you know I never blamed you, not for a second. Maybe he didn't love me enough to stay, or maybe he loved me enough to leave, maybe you all did but I loved you all enough to risk it and learned to love you enough to let you go. It still hurts and I still love all of you but I did learn to let go and move forward." We shared a small smile as he nodded slowly and I knew what couldn't convince him with words had convinced him with the emotions he felt flowing out of me. I knew because he sent me back sorrow, regret, love and peace.

"Bella" Alice began hesitantly.

"I missed you to Alice."

At the response she was at my side and hugging me, all four of my guard suddenly alert and growling at her. I waved at them and hugged her back as tight as I could. All the previous tension eased away as we pulled apart and began talking.

The Kings came with Carlisle and Esme hours later, interrupting us as we played games together. Only the twins were alert enough to not be surprised by their arrival. I grinned and jumped up, moving into Caius's arms.

"Thank you for not killing him." I kissed his chest and Caius chuckled.

"I thought you'd be angry." He whispered bending to kiss my neck.

I shrugged and sighed leaning further into him, "I might temper your demon Caius but I'd never try to change you enough to cage it. I love all of you, not just part."

His arms tightened and I could feel his chest rumbling in an almost purr, "My mate." His lips claimed mine but before I could lose myself in him he pulled away glaring darkly at Aro who only chuckled and then shook his head at my matching glare.

"Shall we." He motioned back to the living room so I let Caius lead me to the couch; while the others remained standing he pulled me into his lap to sit.

Alice had a deep frown as Jasper pulled her into his arms and kissed her temple to distract her from whatever the thought was. I frowned at them and she sent me a small smile while he sent me a small wave of calm. Our attention finally focused on Aro who nodded to Carlisle.

"Bella, I,"

"It's ok." I sent him a weak smile.

"It isn't." He protested.

I shook my head cutting him off, "Some times you have to love someone enough to let them go… or to leave them. My mother did it for Charlie, Caius did for me and so did you. As much as it hurts, my mother and Jasper made sure your son didn't steal the one thing from me."

"What's that?" Esme asked.

"The knowledge that you loved me, that you existed and I was worth more than… a _distraction_."

All the vampires in the room were staring at me, eyes black. I knew behind me Caius's were to as he dipped his head to the back of my neck, his lips brushing my spine as he breathed me in.

"Is that what he said?" Esme whispered. At my nod the eyes in the room went darker still.

"Jasper?" Charlotte questioned. All eyes turned to him but our confusion was short lived as she explained, "You said Jasper made sure of it. I was, well I just thought, you two weren't that close." Her eyes, which now held mine seemed apologetic for her words.

I shook my head, "We didn't spend much time together," I snorted, "I spent days alone in a hotel room with him and Edward still worried about me being around him and his control." I snorted again rolling my eyes and then sent Jasper a smile, "He was always around though. We had our own way of becoming friends."

Jasper smiled back with a slight nod and I grinned as he sent a pulse of happiness to me and I pushed him back love making him sigh and his always tense features relax, then I turned back to Charlotte, the exchange having been only a second. "I don't know anything about Jasper but I do _know_ him very well and once, he told me I was worth it and I believed him. It wasn't his words but the piece of him he shared with me when he said them. Maybe not to some but to him and to Alice, I was somebody and they loved me, so they'd protect me. I knew I'd do anything to protect them to." I felt another wave of affection from Jasper and I turned to meet his eyes, "I knew exactly what they were and what could happen but being with them was worth the risks. It was selfish of me really, I was risking my life but I put them in pain and I'm sorry."

"We should have changed you." He conceded with a nod. "I should have changed you."

"I was so sure that it would be." Alice sighed.

"It will." I smiled at her, "Just not the way you expected." I leaned back against Caius whose arms tightened around me.

Peter nodded to her, his expression serious, "Thing about family, we forgive each other almost anything. Though while we're on the should have train," he said turning to Jasper, "what you should have done Major is killed the bitch Victoria when you took out her mate." Charlotte smacked her mates chest sending him a glare for the words.

Jasper growled at him but nodded, "Yes I should have and we both should have gone back for Maria a very long time ago."

"Bitch has minions." Peter growled.

"Bitch deserves a pyre." Alice hissed, several vampires and Bella all looking at her in surprise.

"I'll explain my origins after." Jasper nodded at me, "Needless to say they were somewhat different from the Cullen's, and Ali wont ever forgive my maker for what she created."

"For what she did." Alice corrected softly, "I'd thank her for what she created… before I ripped her head off." He hugged her to him at the words and I knew they were silently exchanging emotions.

I nodded at him, it wasn't something we had the luxury of time to go into now, but the simple promise that he would, was also a promise that he and Ali wouldn't leave me again, so I tried to focus and turned to Aro, "Is there a plan?"

He rolled his eyes at me, "Now she pays attention to me." He huffed playfully. "Actually we are here to talk about this mess with the Cullen's, the war strategy falls to your mate's expertise in our ruling divide."

I smirked at him, "You do boring, he does violent what about Marcus does he do fluffy?"

Aro growled shaking his head, amusement glowing in his eyes "Insolent girl."

I rolled my eyes at him and then snorted the laugh I was trying to suppress when I saw the other vampires shocked faces at the exchange. When I looked over I saw Marcus suppressing a smile as well, "You do, do fluffy don't you?" I gasped making him actually chuckle and everyone, including his brothers stare at him in shock.

"My gift is to see bonds and yes, I suppose I deal with the fluffy often enough, never leave it to Aro or devil forbid your mate to help train new guard or oversea the actual human city we are meant to rule, even this century as figure heads there are responsibilities."

I snorted and laughed again.

"I do not do boring." Aro protested.

"Uh huh." I grinned at him, "So Carlisle." I grinned brightly at the vampiric doctor who seemed to be fighting a grin behind his serene smile.

"Bella." He nodded.

"We're good? Sorry about Edward's head but" I shrugged, "Caius has a temper."

Heidi snorted, "He does?"

I sent her a mock glare, "To what my pretty fisher would you be referring?"

"Broken vases come to mind and sleeping outside." Felix supplied.

"I'm stubborn. He has a temper."

"This is true." Heidi conceded.

"You know your focus is already horrible. Your newborn year is going to be atrocious." Jane finally spoke stepping away from the wall.

Alec stepped forward to her side again, "If the issue with the Cullen and Whitlock covens has been ruled upon my lords, might we go hunt?"

"Did you not go while she slept?" Aro enquired turning to Heidi and Felix, "You were sent to relieve them of duty."

"You gave our Princess into our keeping." Alec supplied.

"We are her guard now." Jane continued. "We felt it imprudent to leave her with any in such a presence."

"Our Princess is safe in her mates arms." Alec nodded to Caius.

"Her scent is not much difficult but risks ought not be taken."

Aro nodded at them, "Go and hunt then."

The twins flitted away, Bella frowning after them, "My guard? I thought Felix, Heidi and Wolfe were?"

"They are." Aro nodded. "The twins gifts provide greater safety and they requested their protection while you are human if not after."

"They requested?"

"They like you." Heidi shrugged.

"They don't like anyone." Felix added. "It's a compliment, not a comment on your death wishes."

"I don't have a death wish." I frowned at them.

"You tried to stop a vampire from tearing me apart." Heidi reminded her.

I shrugged, "Distraction to give you time to kill him."

Heidi snorted and shook her head, "I could as easily have killed you."

"Maybe." I shrugged, "You didn't though."

"Aro could have." Felix added.

"He didn't." They both rolled their eyes at me.

"How I will ever get anything done again, insolence is clearly infectious." Aro grumbled. "How do you manage Carlisle?"

"Democracy." Carlisle shrugged, "And I let them think the ideas are theirs sometimes. Besides that, Esme keeps them all in line and focused when they need to be."

Aro let out a hrumph, "Maybe you should move back to Volterra with her and get this insolent chit to learn decorum."

I stuck my tongue out at him in retaliation, who cared if it was childish.

I felt Caius choke back a laugh behind me and grinned.

"Much as I'm enjoying this, perhaps we should discuss a strategy?" Peter cut in.

"Right." Aro nodded and then looked at Caius, with a smirk "Stop sniffing your mate, this is your deal." Caius growled at him.

"Where are you going?" I frowned at his retreating back.

"To sniff at _my_ mate." He chuckled with a backward wave.

I laughed and leaned back into Caius again.

"Bella, perhaps we should visit the other Cullen's." Marcus suggested stopping his words at Caius's growl.

I rolled my eyes and pulled off his lap, "He means get to work war monger. Clearly I'm a distraction."

Caius stood and pulled me into his arms for a searing kiss, "Kill, maim and burn. Planning done." He growled.

I laughed and shoved his chest; he let me push him back. "Go play war with Felix. Jasper and Alice can entertain me."

"Forget the Major in his name?" Esme laughed. "He, Peter and Charlotte will play war with Caius, why don't I make you something to eat. Demetri is back with groceries." I shrugged and let Alice and her lead me away, Heidi following closely with a grumbling Felix.

"You can stay and do the war thing with them Felix." I frowned at him.

Heidi shook her head, "When Jane and Alec get back."

"It's Esme and Alice Heidi, they wont hurt me."

"No but the twins will hurt me." Felix snorted. "Besides, I can hear as well from the kitchen."

"The twins wont hurt you, I promise. Girl time." I gave him a gentle shove and with a quick smile and nod he disappeared back to the sitting room.

Both twins were glaring when they came back to find me alone with Alice a little later.

"Alice is my best friend and she sees the future. She'd know if trouble were coming. I'm fine."

"Of course Princess." Alec nodded moving to my side and offering his arm.

"We'll escort you back to Caius for an update on the plan." Jane added allowing Alice to walk on my other side and instead moving beside her brother. For them, the small thing, said everything. Alice would be trusted with me and more, she was entrusted with my safety, something they took very seriously.


	10. Chapter 10

It didn't take long for the plan to be outlined, it really was just a little more evolved than Caius's original, maim, kill and burn. The only hitch was my stubborn mate and his stubborn coven and the stupid stubborn Whitlock and Cullen's.

"I want to be there." I insisted again.

"No." Several growls met my insistence.

"If Victoria knows I'm here it will distract her. Jasper said so himself."

"She can know you're here with out you bein in the battle Darlin." Jasper argued, eyes black. He was very anti my suggestion as was everyone but surprisingly Aro and Athenodora who both agreed it was good strategy if a very stupid idea.

"Bella." Edward began weakly, earning a growl from Caius. It had been three days since our arrival and this was the first time we'd been in the same house let alone the same room. He was clearly still weak and his voice sounded like an pack a day for thirty years smoker.

When he first came into the house, following meekly behind Carlisle he was met by looks that probably invented the description, if looks could kill, because I was pretty sure they'd paralyze most people and even Edward faltered and seemed to wilt under them. The thing that surprised me wasn't the level of animosity from the Volturi but the detachment I felt for him. He was just a beautiful boy I had once loved and looking back I couldn't really understand why it. At the time it had felt all consuming but now I realized it wasn't on the same field as what I felt for Caius let alone on the same level and the love I felt for Caius didn't consume me, it was a part of me. Now I simply ignored Edward and focused on my mate and his battle planners, hoping to rationalize with them.

"What if she isn't fooled by my scent, realizes it's a trap and leaves or worse finds my actual scent and I'm alone?"

"You wont be." Alec growled.

"We'll protect you." Jane agreed.

"NO!" I shouted. All eyes had been on me before but in my panicked shout they'd all become focused, concerned and upset. I blushed and buried my head in Caius's neck, "You need them."

"I need you safe and they volunteered." He whispered back.

"They're the best offence in the Volturi." I protested again.

"They'll be your best defense as well. There are enough of us to stop Maria and Victoria without them."

"Not without some of you dying."

"It's war."

His simple answer infuriated me and I hit him, hard, hard enough my hard really hurt. I ignored it and the tears burning my eyes, "So was the battle when I was five!" I hissed. "It could be you, like it was then or Alice or Jasper, Heidi, Felix, Emmett, Esme, Carlisle, Aro, or any number of others I can't lose and I'm helpless! You might die and I can't do _anything!_ Because you wouldn't change me just like they wouldn't!"

"I haven't had the chance to change you!" He growled back, "You think I want you vulnerable!"

"You could have changed me anytime over the last few years, over the last few months! You could have changed me the moment I stepped foot in Volterra!"

"I wanted you to want it! To want me!" He growled back.

"You're my mate I don't have the choice not to want you!" He hissed at my words, his emotions slamming shut and his features becoming stone. I sighed and laid my hand on his cheek, "I always wanted you Caius. Long before I knew you or wanted to want you. I get that you wanted me to love you but couldn't that have come after the change too? Did I have to stay human for it to be real? Does it feel real to you yet?" I swallowed back the lump in my throat, "It feels real to me" It was hard to breathe as I tried to make him understand, "It feels real that I could lose you, how can I protect you like this? You think I'm vulnerable? Because I'm human? I'm vulnerable because I love you but you protect me and you are vulnerable for loving me but I can't protect you." He pulled me gently into his arms, burying his head in my neck and breathing me in as I wrapped myself around him, clinging to him.

"You've always protected me." He whispered. I shook my head in protest and he kissed me. "You protect the part of me I once thought no longer existed." He insisted kissing me gently again, "My soul." He breathed against my lips. Both of us could taste my tears. And he lifted one cold hand to wipe them away. "I will change you Bella. I will not fall in this fight. For once in two millennia I have something worth returning from battle for and I promise you I will return, I will change you and we will be together again in Italy, you will be my queen and we'll live forever together in my castle." I nodded and clung tighter to him, the promise he'd given me at five that lulled me back into a peaceful sleep somehow comforting me again now.

Burying my head in his chest again as he drew soothing circles on my back. "Please take them." I whispered after a minute. If I couldn't be there with him, they should be.

"I wont focus if I'm worried about you, none of us will, including them. Please Bella." I nodded into his chest reluctantly, knowing it was true. I would be a wreck worrying about him but I didn't need to focus, he did. I couldn't let anything be a distraction to him.

"Don't take any risks, ok?" I pleaded.

I felt his lips on my neck, "I _will_ come back to you my mate. I promise."

I nodded again and stepped back, prying my fingers from him. He lifted the one I'd hit him with, the pain in it was getting pretty bad and he kissed it gently. "Alec will look after this."

I nodded and sniffled. "I love you."

"I love you." He responded with such simple sincerity that my eyes brimmed with fresh tears. He kissed my temple and nodded to the others.

In moments the battle planning head quarters that had become of Jasper's living room was emptied and I was alone with the twins. They gently maneuvered me to the couch and Alec carefully tended to my hand while Jane brushed my hair in soothing strokes.

Hand bandaged and hair smooth and no doubt shiny I sat between the twins worrying. I felt sick when the battle sounds reached us and rose to look out the window. I could see the purple black smoke rising. Jane's hand rested in mine and Alec sat near us, ever alert, his shoulder just barely touching mine, providing a soothing comfort even as I wished they were beside Caius where I knew they belonged in battle.

"Why weren't you there?" I finally whispered.

"Where?" Jane asked gently.

"When I was five. The werewolves in Phoenix."

"We were." Alec nodded. "The guard got separated. We came upon Caius as he was leaving your room."

"He told us our Princess slept within and to guard the house carefully." Jane squeezed my uninjured hand gently.

"While he found the rest and made sure all the wolves were dead." Alec continued.

"It was nearly dawn when he returned. He took a photo of you and a lock of hair. We waited with him until your mother came. We left and he swore us never to mention the precious child to anyone until he could bring you safely to our world."

"We have never betrayed our kings."

"Never not been by their sides."

"Aro saved us."

"Marcus trained us."

"Caius led us."

"Aro is our father, we are his favorites, or so many would say. He made us strong, made us vampire and gave us a family."

"Marcus is our uncle, he helped us learn our strengths and taught us trust when we knew only pain and lies."

"Caius is neither father nor uncle."

"He is our general."

"Each is our king."

"We are loyal to all."

"Under his anger."

"Under his pain."

"Under the surface of stone."

"Caius taught us love."

"We would be loyal because you are our princess."

"We care because Caius loves you."

"We love you because you care."

I squeezed Jane's hand and leaned against Alec, secure in their protection, every thought only on the smoke billowing above the trees in the distance.

The twins attention was not so focused. They had neutralized the threat before I knew there was one. If he'd gotten through, if he got past Caius, I screamed trying to run for the battlefield but strong arms held me back.

From in Alec's arms I heard screaming not my own and turned to see three others tearing at eyes and ears, struggling in a dark mist I knew was Alec's gift from the way the smoke seeped out of him. Jane, untouched by it was glaring at the woman shrieking in pain.

I turned my head and sobbed into Alec's chest. A roar in the distance so loud the trees seemed to shake preceded a crashing that had me shaking but when the red eyed demon appeared removing the heads from the still struggling and silently screaming victims relief flooded me. I ran to him flinging myself in his arms. Around us Jasper moved to the woman Jane had been torturing.

"Maria." He nodded.

"Jasper." She sobbed at him. "My son. My lover. My major."

He hissed at her, "I was never yours. I just didn't know any different."

Peter and Charlotte stepped up beside him and she looked from each of them, "I'd have let her live for you. As a gift if I'd known. I only came for the three of you, we're family."

"Jasper is our family." Charlotte told her coldly, leaning into Peter.

"And Jasper is mine." Alice hissed coming up from behind her and grabbing her neck her teeth sinking in as she bit and used her entire body to twist off the head. Tossing it aside she ran into her mates arms kissing him fiercely before burying her head in his chest and kissing his heart.

"Always yours Darlin." He sighed holding her close.

"Victoria?" I finally asked turning to Caius.

He nodded back at Jasper, "Your hero and my debt."

I turned to look at him again, sending him waves of love, gratitude and confusion. "I ought have killed her back then Bella. I'm sorry. For so many things sister."

I shook my head at him and sent him another wave of love.

"Jazz hit her mid-leap to a tree, ripped her leg off mid air." Alice grinned at him and he kissed her lightly.

"She almost got away." Caius growled. "I was distracted. To many bloody new borns, we ought to have a law about creating so many, its messy and draws attention."

"Isn't that already a law?" I asked him.

"Clearly one that needs greater enforcing." Aro agreed with a snort.

"Is anyone hurt?"

Peter shrugged, "We'll all heal."

"When we heard the screams." Charlotte shuddered.

Caius dropped his head to my neck and breathed in deeply. I ran my hands through his white blond hair soothingly, "You know they'd keep me safe from anything." I assured him.

"I heard you scream." He shuddered in my arms, "I knew it was you and the light, that same protection from so long ago, it wrapped around me and then after a moment it was gone," his grip tightened, "so were your screams."

"I thought if they got through, got past you." I buried my face in his chest not wanting to relieve the terrible thought.

"I promised I'd come back."

"You did." I sighed in agreement.

The others returned from the battlefield, some weaker than others and slowly we all assembled in the battle headquarters.

I snuggled into Caius while Aro began to speak, "Justice was done by the Volturi today and we thank you for your witness and your help. In regards to…"

I frowned as I looked around, cataloging the vampires and their injuries. "Where's Edward?" I interrupted making Aro close his mouth and send me an amused glare.

I shrugged at him blushing making him chuckle and shake his head, "Insolent girl."

"Edward was to weak to fight." Esme informed me gently, "His injuries will take some days more to fully bring him back to his full self."

I frowned at her, "Why didn't he stay with us then."

"Over my ashes." Caius grumbled.

I rolled my eyes at him and then sent him a glare, "You took away more guards. Better to leave him here, Alec and Jane could more than handle babysitting one more, hell they could have handled babysitting me and keeping him in line if you were worried he'd do something."

Caius snorted, "Took away the guard? To protect him?"

"You left him weak and unprotected?"

Caius shrugged, "He's not my coven to protect."

"He's a vampire, they're _all_ your coven!"

"Bella, Edward left when we all went to battle. He's halfway to Alaska by now." Carlisle spoke up. "We have family there, and though not willing to fight this war, they will always open their home to ours."

I nodded, not completely convinced, "He's fine Bella." Alice's words more than any others calmed me or maybe it was the shot of peace Jasper sent. I smiled at them both in gratitude. I might not love him anymore and he might have broken my heart but I didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

"As I was saying, in regards to the question surrounding the Cullen's breaking of the law surrounding revealing our existence to a human, well let all here be witness that no law was in fact broken. She is to be changed, as she has been meant to be since the age of five as she is Caius's true mate. For your protection of her in Forks, against the lawbreakers, James, Laurent and Victoria, we thank you. Edward's punishment for hurting our Princess has been met out by her mate and the role you played in such is to be forgiven for your assistance today. All surrounding this matter is finished and no more shall be heard on it."

Carlisle nodded, "Thank you Aro. The Volturi's presence saved our coven today."

He nodded at Carlisle, "Of course my friend." Then he smiled and clapped his hands as though excited about something wonderful coming up before he announced "Now then, we best be off."

"Sir." Alice stepped forward.

"Ali?" Jasper questioned her.

"I'd like to return with you for Bella's first year. If you'd allow my mate and I a place with your guard for the year."

"Of course my dear." Aro clapped his hands again grinning broadly.

"Alice?" Esme questioned sadly.

"I'm still a Cullen?" The statement was more question, as she met Carlisle's eyes.

He nodded, his expression warm and reassuring but questioning. "Always."

"Bella's right." Alice told him gently.

"I am?" I frowned not at all sure what it was I was so right about.

Alice nodded, "I love Jazz. All of him. I can't keep caging the demon in him."

"Ali." Jasper pulled her into his arms, "You saved me."

She met his eyes and nodded, laying her hand on his cheek, "I promised you'd never have to be that monster again Jazz, and you wont, but you should still be you and you're a Major, a warrior." She snorted a laugh rolling her eyes, "You don't belong in high school."

"I love you Darlin."

"I know and I know you love the Cullen's and I know you'd follow me any where but I also know, letting go of the chains, being at peace with yourself will only make you stronger and happier, which will make me happier. So let's live the life you need to for a little while and the life I want with the Cullen's will always be here for us." His forehead dropped to hers and I heard a barely there whisper, "I'm sorry I didn't see before."

"You gave me the life I needed then just like you are now. You didn't see because it wasn't time for you to."

Alice smiled and leaned up and kissed him. I couldn't help but be selfishly happy they were returning with us. I had missed my pixie best friend and it was past time I really got to know Jasper.

"You always have a place with us as well Carlisle. You and your coven." Aro smiled at him a little hopefully.

"Thank you." Carlisle bowed, "Perhaps we'll make a visit soon." He turned to me, "You are always welcome to visit us as well Bella."

Caius snorted and pulled me closer, I had a feeling me visiting any where Edward was wouldn't be happening without Jane and Alec and they'd likely take pleasure in just the threat of hurting him but would be sure to find a reason or twenty to torture him a little.

This seemed to be the cue for all of us to say goodbye.

Caius lifted me in his arms and we were surrounding by the twins, Alice, Jasper, Felix and Heidi. I would later learn this was always how it would be. Surrounded by the guard Caius trusted most, the guard that had come to love me when I was human.

Through the run and the flight, Caius didn't put me down, sitting with me in his lap on the flight and nuzzling in my neck, breathing me in. This was something that I learned would never change as well, if we were near each other it was like a magnet drew our bodies together so we were always touching and always breathing each other in, my scent calming him and his scent comforting me.

When we arrived he whispered in my ear, "Welcome my queen, to my castle in Italy, where we will live forever, together." Gently he lifted me in his arms, kissed my throat and bit.

As the years passed the Cullen's and Whitlock's came and went from our lives the only thing never changing was my mate and the love we shared with each other and our family.

**The End.**


End file.
